Neil Barrett Womenswear A/W12

Neil Barrett’s position as tailor supreme has translated to a strong collection in his womenswear where oversized volumes and sportswear prevail. It might feel like these themes have been worked out in so many other instances but Barrett is canny enough to work in a multitude of technically adept fabrics into the collection as a point of differentiation. The metallic embroidery of a school boy’s blazer badge gets turned into a texture that fronts slubby sweatshirts, a fixture in the line-up.

Neil Barrett’s position as tailor supreme has translated to a strong collection in his womenswear where oversized volumes and sportswear prevail

The sweatshirts in turn are given a more luxurious feeling with double bonded jersey to resemble a neoprene. An engineered quilting that mixes onion and rectangular quilting is another subtle detailing that demonstrates Barratt’s research into fabric development. As with many other collections we've seen this season, there is an all-out tour-de-force of outerwear, yet Barratt creates coat hybrids that feel revitalised: cabans fused with parka functionality, duffles cut with the volume of an opera coat. He’s also solved the problem of jackets and coats falling off the shoulders when women wear them as capes by attaching shoulders to inner jackets/waistcoats to form yet another outerwear hybrid.