Events Post : Pippa Toledo Fashion Show 2013

Yesterday I was invited to the Pippa Toledo Fashion Show at the gorgeous Verdala Palace, were she showcased her new 2013 collection of bags, jewellery and clothes. I have followed Pippa for some time now; I’ve been a fan of her truly striking and original bags and jewellery ever since I first saw them; a few years back. One of the things that still really impresses me about her work is that it is entirely made in Malta, which I think is a lovely show of support for local skill.

The new bag and jewellery collection, completely met my high expectations; the beautiful grand designs were there of course as was the exquisite craftsmanship, the bright, bold colours and the eye-catching jewels. Her signature gold crochet was a prominent feature on both the bags and jewellery, combined with different bright jewels. I also spotted belts, I think it may be the first time Pippa Toledo has designed belts, they really catch your eye, especially when worn on an otherwise plain outfit. The bag collection featured lovely clutches and other styles, again with gold crochet detailing and coloured jewels; there were also some more minimal designs, more suited to the ‘everyday’ look.

Surprising for me, since I am a bag fanatic, what truly blew me away was actually the clothes. I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting..but this wasn’t it…the clothes were so feminine, so flowy and so impressively wearable, this last part I think is what surprised me the most. As already mentioned, I love her jewellery and bags but most of her pieces have grand, opulent designs that might not be for everyone;  somehow I think I was expecting clothes along the same vein. Instead, she very cleverly designed clothes that go hand-in-hand with her accessories, that complement each other perfectly, a perfect contrasting mix of grand and more minimal. 

I was pleased that all the different looks in this showcase can be worn as is; sometimes we see many striking designs on the catwalk that can sadly never actually make it into the real world. They just serve as inspiration and whilst this is important in the fashion world, it is nice to see a designer design for reality, to watch a fashion show and think ‘ooh I might just buy that’. In fact, I saw many things I wish to own, different outfits that I can picture myself wearing, both for day and night; (this truly isn’t just occasion wear).

About 20 different pieces were showcased, there was a varied range from long, slinky, minimalist dresses in bright colours, to more striking, patterned pieces in different printed fabric. The grand finale was a highly interesting wedding dress ensemble. 

Photos by Kurt Paris

One of my favourite items was this purple outfit worn by model Madeline@supernovamodel.com. It was   probably the most eclectic of all the outfits but still very wearable.

Another one that made my list was this multi textured cocktail dress that swishes about as you walk, revealing different layers of different coloured fabric worn Susan@models.com.mt.

This outfit worn by Jacqui@supernovamodel.com is a complete winner – head-to-toe winner that is. I want EVERYTHING in this look, the bag in particular. The cross-body chain detail on the bag really excites me, it adds a casual element to a grand design, breaking the boundary that grand designs are only reserved for occasion wear.

And for the grand finale, the wedding dress was lovely and pretty in white and gold with lots of tulle and a beautiful, subtly patterned bodice.. or is it a bodice? This is what made it so interesting… the big tulle princess skirt can be removed and voilà, a simple, elegant, silver short dress is unearthed…simplifies the changing for ‘going away’ doesn’t it?

For more, check out this video