"The British high street has always been one of the strongest in the world, and I love that the Brits are not scared to experiment".
Kate Moss, Company Magazine, May 2014
Brace yourselves fashion fans (and any unwitting pedestrians in the Oxford Circus area). The fifteenth collection of Kate Moss x Topshop will soon be upon us. *squeal!
London's Evening Standard tonight reports of 'The great Kateover'. Magazines have been giving us a nudge for weeks and Topshop's social media campaign has quite rightly gone into overdrive, building Moss Mania to a thundering crescendo causing Hysteria! and Panic!...Kate's back!
I absolutely, 100% have been swept up in the frenzy. Every time a mention or a peek of the collection appears in a magazine or pops up in my Twitter feed, I get a bit panicky, my stomach lurches noticeably. I am gloomy already at the thought of missing the chance to secure a Kate-style frock, a star-sequined cami or THAT fringed leather jacket, or anything for that matter from the new drop inspired by her favourite pieces in her own wardrobe. (Sometimes at night I am kept awake with thoughts of that wardrobe. How big is it? Is it organised by colour? By defining era? Do things get lost?)
The most coveted items are expected to sell out in hours and so I am not hopeful of adding a piece to my existing collection - a black vest and delicate sequined dress from the inaugural 2007 collection. Regular Material Whirl readers will know I Look to Kate and that my success in securing designer/high street collabs has met with mixed success. Versace for H&M in 2011? Not a chance. Isabel Marant Pour H&M in 2013? Two hopes (Bob Hope and No Hope). Peter Pilotto for Target? Yes!
Time Out recently featured a fantastic piece by Miriam Bouteba with tips gathered from Topshop staff, insiders and whistleblowers on how to get a piece of Kate. I take matters of fashion very seriously and so I have done my research and worked out what I want. I have read and studied all the articles. I have watched the videos. I am prepped and ready.
I am unable to camp outside or spend the next few days in queues or with my elbows out (I have a job). I simply cannot face the scrum and furore at Topshop's flagship Oxford Street store tomorrow, where the launch of the collection will take place before other stockists and sites launch the next day. It is rumoured Kate Moss will make a personal appearance. Which makes me feel a bit funny, but alas I cannot be there.
Instead I will be safely and securely ensconced in a pub with my best friend. I will, however, attempt to follow the live streaming launch event on Grazia Daily and I will be online shopping from 8.00 am on Wednesday 30 April from the comfort of my own Macbook Air.
The collection is super-cool. I particularly love the Pyjama Dressing collection - Delicate Prints and Soho Silk - and rock-influenced pieces; the fringed leather jacket is amazing (reportedly her 'gig' jacket that she has worn to three Rolling Stones concerts).
My favourite pieces I hope to get my hands on are below.
I still look to Kate. I still am keen to covet her inspirational wardrobe, her unbeatable style, her presence. The way that her collections are always music-focused. She is fabulous at 40 and still culturally relevant. Tell me your success stories. I'd love to know how you get on.
For all the hoo ha, forgive me. I'm unashamedly a Mossoholic.
The collection will be available online and in-store at Topshop, as well as Nordstrom, Nordstrom.com and Net-a-porter.com for the first time from 30 April 2014.
You can see every piece from the hotly anticipated collection here by visiting Vogue.co.uk
References:
Look Magazine, 14 April 2014 - 'My Hot Picks from my New Topshop Collection by Lucy Wood
