FALL/WINTER 2011 WISH LIST

1) [above] Brioni cashmere cardigan. Simple, elegant Italian super-luxe. If it didn't cost as much as a Rick Owens leather jacket, I would buy it in a flash. I might try to justify it anyway on the grounds that it's something I would probably wear daily throughout winter.

2) Christopher Kane print T-shirt. Although Maison Martin Margiela lays claim to the best trompe l'oeil fabric prints, I like the way this tartan print plays on Christopher Kane's Scottish background. It's also grey, which is nearly always a good thing from my point of view.

3) Prada synthetic sweater. It's wrong-but-right in that distinctly Prada way, and has been slowly growing on me ever since the show earlier this year.

4) Burberry Prorsum Fair Isle knit. I don't know what's come over me, because I never usually find anything I like from Burberry (I strongly dislike trench coats, which rules out about 60% of each collection automatically), but I really like this sweater...


... and this luxurious, minimal leather trim knit (5) too.
6) Jil Sander quilted T-shirt. Not in that colour though... grey or black would be ideal. I rarely wear colour these days, unless I'm going all out with (for want of a less awful phrase) a 'colour statement' like the Jil Sander SS11 T-shirts.

7) Lanvin bomber jacket. I love MA-1 style jackets for winter, not least because they're a good shape for the not-so-tall gentleman like myself...

8) I like this Rick Owens padded bomber jacket too...

Obviously it wouldn't be a wish list of mine without Raf Simons. These two amazing sweaters (9) and (10) are my most-wanted pieces from the FW11 collection, along with the shoes (11) below.

12) Yves Saint Laurent down filled jacket. I have been lusting over this in Harrods for a few weeks now. It looks much better in person: really luxurious, beautiful materials, perfect weight...

13) Yves Saint Laurent wool trousers. I expect these wouldn't fit me properly, but I like them. At 5'8" I am too short for designer trousers, full stop. At a 32" waist they are always cut for someone who is at least 6'. Shortening rarely helps, because the proportions with the rise never work.
14) LimoLand x Porter weekend bag. I like Porter bags and I love the LimoLand logo (based on a work by Tanzanian artist George Lilanga) so this stylish weekender is a match made in heaven.

15) Pierre Hardy high tops. I have been after a pair of black leather high tops for a while, and this pair fits the bill perfectly.

16) Dries van Noten zip trousers. These particularly caught my eye on the Dries runway.

17) Bottega Veneta leather detail cardigan. Not sure why I like this, but I really do..


18) Rick Owens metal detailing. Because you can't go wrong with a bit of Paco Rabanne-esque madness, although I think it's too much with the asymmetric hem as well..

Things which had to be struck off the list:

Balenciaga synthetic knit sweater. I loved the heavy, structured nature of this sweater, the small zip down the back (hello Raf Simons SS11) and the strong geometric design. On the hanger it was ticking all the right boxes, but when I tried it on (and subsequently got stuck inside it, warranting a call for help to the assistant) I discovered that it not only made my stomach look gargantuan, but also had bizarre, 60s sci-fi peaked shoulders. The latter was the primary deal-killer because, as much as I love the Pierre Cardin space age vibe, it looks ridiculous for everyday wear.

Givenchy sweater with concealed pockets. I liked the sleek, streamlined design of this, but when I tried it on in the size which fitted on the shoulders (eu 48) it almost came down to my knees. DAMN TALL PEOPLE.

The main reason, though, that I probably won't (be able to) buy anything at all which is pictured above is that I have somehow, inexplicably, bought three pairs of Prada shoes already this season...

I will blog the last pair when they arrive (they were my self-purchased birthday present, currently on special order from Prada in Rome), and the second last pair when I return from my holiday, which is also my excuse for lack of blog updates and the brief nature of this post.

What items in particular are you especially lusting after for FW11?