Understated Elegance at Whistles Spring/Summer 2015

Since former Topshop director Jane Shepherdson took over as chief executive of Whistles in 2008, the brand has undergone something of an overhaul. Retaining its original emphasis on femininity, Whistles has now gone some way to redefine what it is to “look feminine.” On the high street, heavily adorned, intricate pieces have made way for simpler, cleaner apparel, while pale pinks and lilacs have been succeeded by more mature shades such as olive, blues and black.

Whistles made its London Fashion Week debut in only February 2013 but is now a firm Fashion Week favorite, as crowds of onlookers at its Spring/Summer 2015 catwalk testified.

In keeping with its new aesthetic, Whistles’s contribution to London Fashion Week exemplified understated elegance. Models filed out, alternating between black and white, which represented a stark contrast from the pastel shades which featured predominated in their Spring/Summer collection of the previous year. The collection exuded mature, unembellished grace, while asymmetric necklines and mesh fabric gave a nod to the edgier side of the new season’s aesthetic. Culottes, which have made appearances across London Fashion Week and promise to be one of next season’s staples, appeared in various forms, both as a separate and in jumpsuits.

In another break from tradition, this year’s line-up featured both female and male models. Targeting a female market since its foundation in 1978, in September 2014, Whistles launched its first male clothing line.