The Department Store SS2012

The Department Store hit all the right notes at tonight’s Summer 2012 in-season runway show featuring Karen Walker, Black Box, The Men’s Department, Ruby/Liam, Top Shop, Tigerlily, Havaianas, and I Love Ugly…

Hair was beautifully done, shoes were appropriately styled and models could all walk in them – despite the handicap of a spiral staircase – and the make-up looked fresh and summery to suit the clothes. Timing was good – the first Friday after Daylight Savings – so we all felt summery and no-one was still clad in coats and tights.

Production-wise, it was seamless; friendly and organised on the doors with lots of staff and doorlists (and no problem of gatecrashers this time showing up although lots of legit invited guests showed up without RSVPing. Have the courtesy of RSVPing, people!) Lovely drinks too – 900 Grapes wine, Steinlager, and San Pellegrino were served at so many corners of the room that I’m sure they had more bars than a prison window.

I also really liked the cute blackboards the first model out in each group carried. I’ve seen the problem of differentiating betwen various labels in a single group show done before with models carrying shopping bags from the designer, and the brand name projected behind and so on, but this was perfect.

Here are our highlights of what we saw at the show. Click here for full Karen Walker show photos (coming soon).