Haider 2008

TAKE IT SLOW

If you are any kind of discerning consumer of fashion, then you'll probably dislike 'fast fashion' as much as we do in the Kingdom. The notion of spending a few quid on a skirt to likely discard it months, or even weeks, later is abhorrent to me. I might not shop in the high street that often but when I do I try to always purchase those things I feel I will wear for as long as they last. I have ASOS stuff from many years ago and it's still going strong. But I won't shop in the lower end of high street such as Primark, Boohoo or Pretty Little Thing and shops of that ilk. Those price points make me very uncomfortable. As a genuine lover of fashion and not just someone who likes to style cute outfits - which is 80% of people, including bloggers - my fashion consumption is very considered. I stick to luxury and indie brands for 80% of my wardrobe and the rest is made of second high/thrifted, followed by high street.

Not buying into the notion of fast fashion means I get to delight in collections from years gone by too. I do this a lot. I have shared many of my defining collections from years gone. Those collections which spoke to me when they first came into the world and still do so now.

HAIDER ACKERMANN FALL 2008

I have rarely felt such an affinity with a collection as I do with this one. It was, for me, a near perfect gathering of looks and heavily inspires me even now, albeit unconsciously. I have searched for key pieces from this collection on eBay for years but without success, so far. But one day something from the collection will pop up and I'll be ready to pounce! The exquisite draping, the cotton jersey, the puffy shorts combined with leather leggings is a look I could do for the rest of my life. Explored in greyscale and muted neutrals, the palette only serves to enhance those delicious folds and curves.

This was definitely a fashion highlight of 2008 and remains so today.