Autumn is a season of texture and colour; myriad jewels are strewn underfoot in the form of crisp fallen leaves; burnished, veined and whorled in colours of deep cinnabar and persimmon, raw umber and a thousand other sinopian hues that crackle and smoulder on grainy pavements. Collars are turned up and chilled hands thrust in pockets; the air becomes extraordinarily clarified; crystallised in peaty, acrid compounds of burning bonfire smoke.
It is a time of transition; change in the trees and in the skies, and yet of stillness; autumn evenings run into one another with a smooth sameness; every night sky the same velvety moleskine black, with only the mutations of the moon for diversity.
With this in mind, I present a selection of the season’s most covetable treasures. Autumn accessories and key pieces are mirroring the hallmarks of the season; texture and colour in sumptuous variety everywhere you turn…
Alexander McQueen, £5612 at net-a-porter
Pre-empting the oriental trend seen all over the catwalks of Paris for S/S 11, this luxurious bell-flare coat, in deepest vermillion and gold, is reminiscient of the pomp and pageantry of religious tapestry. The flowing shape is starkly dream-like, and despite the striped heraldry of the embellished tigers, you will feel like a phoenix rising from the ashes come Bonfire Night…
Chloé Aurore handbag, £1075
The buttery pecan plumpness of this Chloé bag is practically irresistible, and the boxy sturdiness, almost of a classic doctor’s bag, is irresistibly practical. Perfect for swinging through the falling leaves.
Alaïa animal print ankle boots, £1085 at net-a-porter
Alaïa has triumphed this season with its range of delectable footwear, and these abstract ankle boots are elegant and edgy. Amazing with well-cut black trousers and a glossy briefcase.
Kenneth Jay Lane cocktail ring
This gobstopper garnet coloured stone, clustered with satellite gems and surrounded by gunmetal grey is broody, moody and appropriately lavish. Add a sultry swagger and vampish scarlet nails.
Jaeger silk blouse, £125
Jaeger’s silk blouse, with its delicate drapery, billowing sleeves and antique-off-white hue, is essential for a lazy, back-to-school feel. Team with a streamlined skirt and patterned tights for a touch of girlish kitsch.
Kurt Geiger Fashionistas 'Broadway Market' wooden platform, £290
These statuesque wooden platforms with a clunky cone heel don’t exactly, to my mind, conjure up the grim, cobbled streets of Hackney. They have rather a clever feel of Scandinavian design precision, or the cosmopolitan vibe of New York. Still, united with autumn’s corresponding caramel colours, they will work a treat.
Jaeger suede buckle bag, £250
There is something satisfyingly smart about the punchy mustard hue of this suede bag, and the smug symmetry of the double buckle is rather neat, too.
'Alexander the Great' McQueen scarf
This silk-blend scarf in patriotic colours, emblazoned poignantly with ‘Alexander the Great’, is the perfect way to celebrate the legacy of Lee McQueen. A printed panegyric to pull on whenever you’re feeling bold.
Christian Louboutin leopard print clutch, £750
Louboutin have infused something sly and weapon-like into the concept of this globe clutch; despite the polished pattern and decorative flourish of the swaying tassels, it reminds me of a medieval flail or Olympic shotput. Combine with a pair of Louboutin’s signature studded stilettos, with their warpaint slick of a blood-red sole, and you are dressed very much for battle.
Erdem 'Vittoria' silk dress, £1215
At first glance, this exquisite Erdem gown looks shrouded in the exoticism of far-off-lands. But on closer inspection, it seems rather a hymn to the romance of the more familiar flora and fauna; snatches of a curling leaf, insect’s wing or forest pool can be glimpsed through the prism of diamond patchwork panels. An enchanted kaleiodoscopic creation of cerulean, Tyrian purple and flashes of bright peridot. Majestic.
Alaïa calf hair platforms £1070 at net-a-porter
Eye-catching and bristling with textural cleverness, these quirky dot detail lace ups are a towering success.
Alexander Wang 'Sydney' velvet backpack, £700 at net-a-porter
I adore velvet. I’ve bought three vintage dresses in the past month, and they are all in this sumptuous fabric, perfect for late October Halloween goth and into the party season beyond. Wang’s seductive, slouchy backpack is just the ticket to adorn a sleek and refined autumn silhouette.
Marni pyrite flower brooch, £165 at net-a-porter
Marni’s art deco inspired brooch, with its distictive tiger-moth spiralling in a warm burnt orange, will unite fabulously with a vintage hat and classic Kelly handbag.
Mary Katrantzou graphic print dress, £783
Mary Katrantzou is an absolute whizz when it comes to complex and hypnotic graphic patterns that will be wearable always. This season’s show-stoppers are no different, and with elaborate detailing on front and back, and stunning trompe d’oeil jewels, you will feel like a walking work of art.
Chanel tote bag, £1398
The luxe finish on this light butterscotch bag by Chanel is a welcome respite from the classic black quilting. The whispered translucence of the stitched interlocking C’s and the nonchalant toggle detail are pure Parisian class.
Alexander McQueen shearling boots, £950
The now-ubiquitous shearling trend is given a surprise boost by these coffee-coloured boots with a spiky, sculpted heel and amulet-shaped buckle detail. But with a tidal wave of affordable high street parodies saturating the market, do these really look like a thousand pounds worth of autumn chic?
Lanvin crystal owl brooch, £950
This nocturnal nicknack in glinting pewter is a novel way to liven up both daytime uniform and instill instant evening glamour. Charmingly crafted, the milky opalescence of its prismatic stone is just the right shade of winter moonlight.
Chloe polka-dot blouse, £595
Viktor & Rolf recently transformed a Paris catwalk into an homage to the shirt, parading a startling array of avant-garde interpretations of this most fundamental of wardrobe staples. This, however, is classic Chloe, in speckled mushroom, with an already-attached ribbon-tie detail that would make five-second-dressing an absolute cinch.
Alexander Wang felt boots, £555
Wang posits these grey marl lace-ups with a sassy stack heel as a more feminine, formal alternative to this season’s androgynous desert boot. Make the laces long and looping and pair with slight flares for a subtle nod to autumn’s love affair with the seventies.
Versace studded leather shoulder bag, £1380
The pearly sheen to the studded hardware on this neat shoulder bag softens an otherwise tough accessory. Nimble and expertly proportioned, Versace’s 3D arm-candy will bridge the gap nicely between day and night.
Nina Peter patchwork gloves, £160
A deep shade of emperor purple give these gloves a regal air of utter sophistication. Spherical studs and spidery etching strike a balance between old-school- lady-like and ultra contemporary. Essential for all modern-day Audrey Hepburns!
Vionnet ruched silk dress, £2255
The deliquescent draping of this Vionnet dress, smokily resplendent in ivory, lead and grey, is intelligent and sensual. The high-neck glances towards chaste Victoriana, whilst the drawn-in waist is an appreciative celebration of the female form.
Mulberry Alexa in quilted denim, £795
I was beginning to despair at the sheer volume of praise heaped upon this bag. I still don’t get its iconic status – it’s just a rather ordinary satchel – but of all the Alexa’s incarnations, I think this one, with its flickering embers of ameythst, blackcurrant and magenta is both relevant and eye-catching for autumn.
Yves Saint Laurent 'Palais Mohawk' £640
If it’s texture you’re after, look no further than these super-fabulous (every superlative here is justified) mohawk suede stilettos. Tight, short cocktail dress, minimal accessories, and best foot forward…
Yves Saint Laurent 'Fake Chic' bracelet, £1195
Autumn jewels indeed! This triumph of interlocking, candy-coloured gemstones looks as if it belonged in the chicest sweet-shop on earth. Mouth-watering colours that are perfect brighteners for these darkling nights…
Versus chiffon and velvet mini dress, £1605
This fiery seasonal show-stopper, burnishing like a bonfire’s flames, is conjured from fabrics so tactile that they should carry a warning. Simply sumptuous.
Sportmax leather and raccoon-fur gloves, £238
Sportmax’s super-elegant aid to banishing the chill. Very 1940’s fabulous.
Chloé over-the-knee boots, £865
Superbly slouchy and complete with nonchalant lace-up bow-detail, one would be equally at ease, in these Chloé boots, striding over chalky countryside turf and stomping along frost-glittered metropolitan sidewalks. Genius.
Proenza Schouler paper-effect leather bag £440
Inspired by brown-paper lunch bags, no other arm-candy will quite tick the autumnal, back to school box as precisely as this Schouler satchel. I adore the slight puckering and the perforated edge. Just pop in a pair of gloves, a well-thumbed copy of your favourite novel and a shiny green apple, and you’re good to go!
Olivia Morris for Grenson, £275
Grenson is a classic English shoe-makers with an illustrious heritage, and these brogues are the ideal seasonal shoe, in the glorious patent finish of glossy damson. Pink liquorice laces add a certain jazziness to the affair.
Lanvin blouse top
There is something evangelical about this blouse. The sheer simplicity is misleading, however; Lanvin don’t know the meaning of spartan, so expect a glorious, heavenly feel and fit courtesy of the saintly Elbaz. The twisting sleeves give the garment a secret, shifting life of its own…
Ashish black silk maxi, £870
And for a match made in monochromatic heaven, pair the above with this shimmering silk skirt – and look ridiculously elegant whilst you’re at it.
Burberry Prorsum shearling peaked cap, £295
At the risk of all of us looking like shearling sheep, this cap offers a novel way of chipping on the now super-stellar aviator trend, from the brand that sparked all the madness in the first place…
Anglomania and Melissa, £90
Another sterling shoe collaboration, and just as quintessentially English at that. These cheerful booties will make splashing through November puddles absolute child’s play…
Johann Earl colour block top, £35 at Urban Outfitters
How engagingly elementary is this tri-block tee? Off-duty made super, super-easy…
Olympia Le Tan box clutch, £895
I doubt I shall come across anything as joy-inducing as this irresistible pair of clutches from now until Christmas Day. Cute and kitsch, and crafted with flair and wit, I just want to tuck one under each arm, and run like the wind!
Lanvin honeymoon set, £415
There are weekends away, and then there are weekends away. Lanvin is the word on everyone’s lips at the moment, and this honeymoon suitcase, brim-full of goodies, is just as good value as the H & M line, and that little bit more exclusive…
Dicha necklace, £675
A tear-drop explosion of clustering, clamouring amythest and opal-coloured beads. Remove the scarf. It’s what unadorned necks were made for…
Roksanda Iilinic 'Sunbird' silk-gazar dress, £1380
No moody and muted autumnal tones here. Not this time. This exotic specimen has flown straight in from the shores of summer, but we’ll forgive it it’s dazzling hue, seeing as it is smashingly spectacular. For peacocks rather than wallflowers, I think…
Dicha, £515
This stunning bauble evokes splendour and decadence , and vintage glamour, in a way that sums up ‘autumn jewels’ most fully, with ruby and pearl.
Erdem 'Angelica' dress
I couldn’t resist just one more Erdem dress, not least because this one is named after my sister. Or so we pretend. It’s as good an excuse as any to be included here. That, and the stunning swallow print, that stirs in my mind the whirring fall-to-earth of swirling sycamore leaves…
So, merry folk of autumn; light your bonfires, straw your Guys, eat your fruit crumbles and read your Keats. But don’t forget to dress for the occasion…
Bonjour Jeunesse 