London Fashion Week AW11: Jaeger

Who: Jaeger London

What: British elegance in bright block colours, colonial references, relaxed tailoring and classic signatures with a contemporary edge.

Thoughts: Among the dark collections we’ve seen so far, Jaeger offers a bright breath of air next season.

Nude and blacks are still dominant in the luxury label’s autumn/winter 2011 collection, but they’re offset against bright pops of crayloa colours. A jewelled blue dress here and a fuschia shirt there is teamed with black for the ultimate colour contrast, while camel separates are injected with flashes of scarlett red for an especially contemporary take on classic designs.

The winter coat – a Jaeger signature – plays a pivotal role for autumn, appearing in dramatic maxi lengths, sleeveless clean cuts, exaggerated capes and cropped shapes in rich textures. Detail is key here – oversized lapels, buckles and collars lined with fur or shearling.

Dogstooth prints proudly reflect the label’s British heritage, as do Prince of Wales checks and sumptuous wools – an extravagance that leads into eveningwear with jewel silk dresses, colour-shock chiffon blouses and sleek jet blacks.

Knitwear adds a rich texture to Jaeger‘s autumn collection, appearing in mohair, cashmere and sculpted wool jerseys in neutral blushes and punchy earthy tones – shapes are oversized, falling just above the knee with ribbed cuffs or finish loosely at the hip.

Bags remain classic but are finished with feather straps, textured panels, buckles and padlocks whilst shoes take on a simplistic yet contemporary approach – strapped sandals with wide leather cuffs have contrasting coloured heels, knee-high boots fall wide and textured and ankle boots come bright and patent.

Our favourite part? Black socks with contrasting colour pop toes and heels – an especially fun touch to this directional collection.