Don’t label this the frivolous category – 2012’s world of fashion is bursting at the seams (har har) with creative innovation. We were excited the Late-Night Chameleon Cafe picked up a nomination for their architectural concept boutique and subterranean art space. It’s over 6,000 square feet in size and features seven different “concept rooms” furthering the trend of blurring the segregation between shopping and gallery spaces. With a bare-bones wooden scaffolding and well-curated selection of established brands and new designers, LNCC has stepped up experimentation with the importance of atmosphere in the retail world.
We were also quite pleased with the nomination for Brompton, who’ve already made their name by bringing panache back to the world of folding bicycles. Will Carleysmith and his design team have tackled another item massively in need of a classy make-over – The Oratory Cycling Jacket takes cues from the tailoring of military jackets, featuring a button-up collar which can be unfolded to create blazer-style lapels.
Constructed from weather-resistant cotton (built to withstand up to an hour in heavy rain!) it’s designed to seamlessly transition from road to office in much the same manner as the Brompton Bicycle itself.
Fashion is a discipline of glamour and, elsewhere, aesthetics are high on the menu. There’s nominations for Sarah Burton’s exquisite nuptial garment and the ultra-elegant catwalk collections of Celine, Suno and Mary Katrantzou.
The New York Met’s retrospective of the incomprehensibly talented Alexander McQueen also gets a nod, as does the dizzy Ms. Westwood and her Ethical Fashion Africa, which we featured on the site back in September.
See the other Designs of the Year categories reviewed here.