Caped Crusade

History may have seen several crusades over the years. But fashion decided to notch it all up one knot higher with its very own Caped Crusade presenting quite a tempting line up…

DSQUARED2 teams a rare combo for the season – the Canadian Red Indian tribes with all that goes with British aristocracy. The result is a collection that’s sure to make you feel as good as Lara Croft, the tomb raider. 

Bold, emphatic and accenting every aspect of a design, there is naturally lots of red accents and fur accents as well. The dark colour palette of regal English livery greets the warm notes of an autumnal forest in the Rockies to offer a fetching must-have range.Glorious ponchos highlighted by typical tribal motifs are there for the picking and we present you a very tempting number. A hooded fur intarsia coat flaunts a graphic pattern while gold thread details define pants, jackets and coats recalling livery uniforms.    

Patchwork, Pattern and Prints tied up Burberry Prorsum’s offerings. English fringed suede, Durham quilts and sheer printed English lace were there in plenty, while patchwork prints, mirror textiles and whipstitched suede were suffused by pigment colours of indigo, red, burgundy, teal and ochre. We have a caped creation with fringe accents you’ll simply adore.

Handicrafts were highlighted in the patchwork on a poncho or sued boots and in the mirror-work embroidery pays tribute to India’s world famous kutch work from its desert state of Rajastan seen in a bodice attached to a fringed skirt bringing to mind the hippies and their trail to India in the 60’s.   

Outerwear is saturated in colour, like a yellow swing coat and red cape both in double-faced

cashmere, or a green parka of bonded suede and leather. Cut-outs slash through black dresses, some intersected with flashes of colour. Shirts and sweaters are circle cut in the back, while slim-leg pants are cut out at the hem to reveal the boot. Suede jackets and coats are quilted in the #GREEK pattern, then hand stitched in vivid shades, while alpaca zip-up coats pop in strong yellow.

If there’s one designer who never disappoints, it is the American icon Ralph Lauren. His collection has all the casual ease and undying appeal of a good old Western. Swaggering capes, graphic black beading recalling Navajo patterns (Red Indian appeal once again) on evening looks while suede fringe can be found just about all over – shawls, bags, ankle boots. And while there was plenty of fur, the brand painstakingly pointed out in its notes that as it has a commitment to not use fur products all fur pieces are constructed of shearling.      

And you can depend on Lauren to choose colours you would never have thought of such as the heathery shades of brown and cream in this collection. And we have a very flattering poncho which will sway the onlooker with its looong fringe in the front worn over a longer polo number all in the same charming hue. And with a Western hat to top it all, you can be sure to be the most envied girl in town this evening or any other evening for that matter…