Start Cue-ing

vogue australia march 2011

 

Often when designers collaborate with the high street it ends up becoming a watered down version of their current designs. I have nothing against the recent Lanvin for H&M collection, or even the Stella McCartney for Target Redux - they were wonderful capsule collections that brought high fashion design to the high street. That is, after all, what we want. We want those beautiful plisse Lanvin slips, the bejewelled and beribboned bags, the signature Lanvin laissez-faire, and we want it at a quarter of the price. That is why designers tend to go simple, recognisable and easy for the high street. The point of the collection is not to design something completely new, it is to give the plebs a taste of what they can't have. I understand that, I really do, and a lot of the time I buy into it. But what I really applaud is when a designer collaboration brings something completely new to the table. 

Witness Dion Lee's collection for Cue, recently unveiled in the spectacular March Australian Vogue. This utilitarian collection is nothing like what Lee has previously shown. Sure, there are the hints of the ruffles, the pleating, the gorgeous gathering that he has become known for. But now it is stiff, starchy calico and topped by a crisp white shirt and not a Roscharch inkblot blouse. It's a serious, business-woman's idea of Dion Lee, which I think is fantastic because Cue is a serious, business-woman's kind of label. Can't you picture some of the more daring customers in that white shirt and camel skirt number at their offices? Dressing up with the sleeveless trench over a plain skirt suit? I love it. I love how new and fresh it is - especially for Lee. This could easily have made waves (no, tsunamis) on the catwalks of Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in April, but no. He's given it to Cue. And with that he has signalled that his customers will come to Cue too, to shop his 'new' collection and buy just another piece of that Dion Lee magic. Why separate the high street and the designer shopper when you can bring them together spectacularly like this? Well done Dion Lee. Well done.

Ladies, form an orderly Cue (har har har).

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