As a long-standing fan of the Eveden group (and a huge Freya aficionado), I was very excited when an invite appeared in my email inbox to the Eveden Autumn/Winter 2012 press day! After the delights of the Eveden Spring/Summer 2012 press day, I couldn't wait to see what Freya, Fantasie, Fauve, Elomi and Huit 8 had in store for A/W12!
The press event took place at the stylish Swarovski Crystallized Café, situated just opposite Liberty on Great Malborough Street and the venue was quite a sight to behold! I made my way up the stairs from the Swarovski jewellery shop floor (cue lots of sparkling jewellery to lust over) to the spacious Swarovski lounge.
The theme of the Eveden Autumn / Winter 2012 press day took "inspiration from the mesmerising hues of the Northern Lights, where ice cold skies of frosty blue and arctic mint green merge against warmer strokes of purple, red and gilded gold". It was very fitting, therefore, that the lounge was filled with an array of glittering jewels, ice sculptures, Swarovski and lingerie clad models (sporting Russian furry hats!) and most importantly...lots of dazzling lingerie and swimwear!
After a cupcake and delicious 'frostbite' mocktail, I was given a tour of the different collections (during which I managed to restrain myself from jumping up and down in excitement at all of the beautiful lingerie and swimwear designs - a feat in itself!)
The first collection that I viewed was FAUVE:
Fauve's collections are all about luxurious fabrics, elegant styles and sophisticated styling with a seductive edge and the A/W12 collection exudes this in abundance. The collection's focus is on flirty pleats, lace, satin, bows and jewelled embellishments with eye-catching red, purple, pink, blue and delectable butterscotch tones. Simple lace and satin overlays and floral embroidery feature strongly throughout...
One of my favourite Fauve bras was the stunning 'Coco' in 'Mullberry' - this set just oozes femininity and romance with its satin, French lace, diamanté bows and dainty pearl motif!
Another of my favourites for A/W is the 'Emanuelle', which comes in this vibrant ink blue. With its art-nouveau style Swiss embroidery and blue and black colour contrast, this piece is real show-stopper!
The 'Veronique' comes in a dusty topaz coloured satin and is offset by delicate beige Austrian lace, guipure trimming, ribbon lacing and an onyx droplet for a look that oozes elegance.
Autumn/Winter would not be complete without a heart-racing red bra - the 'Evangeline' pairs seductive rouge with unusual butterscotch floral notes.
The 'Sabine' presents the perfect update to traditional black underwear with beautiful pink floral embroidery and delicate pleating!
Channelling a palette of burgundy, charcoal and pink, the 'Dominique' boasts an autumnal floral print that almost looks mosaic-like..a great way to do florals without looking too girly!
The 'Marla' comes in an ocean blue with dainty white and turquoise embroidery - I love the 'snowdrop' style scalloped edging! 'Marla' is said to be inspired by Moorish tiling and also comes in a rich purple for a sensuous Spanish feel!
FAUVE DEBUT LOUNGEWEAR
Fans of Fauve will be delighted to hear about the debut of Fauve's luxury loungewear collection called 'Genevieve'. The collection features seductive and sophisticated satin and chiffon garments with beautiful embroidery detailing..the ideal boudoir addition for impressing someone else or for treating yourself!
('Genevieve' chemise)
Relax in style with the elegant 'Genevieve' chemise and lounge pants - check out the stunning 'criss cross' back..luxury at its best!
FREYA
(This ice sculpture wowed the press - the new season red 'Honey' Deco bra is encased between the ice slabs!)
Next up was Freya (one of my all-time favourite lingerie brands!), so my standards were set high from the start. I am pleased to say that Freya have exceeded my expectations once again and have produced an absolutely show-stopping collection for A/W12! You can expect lots of bright colours, bold patterns and Freya's signature bra styles updated for the new season, with the addition of some mouth-wateringly beautiful longline bras!
As a huge Freya Deco fan, I was very excited to see three new Deco styles for A/W12:
Say hello to the sky blue pinstripe 'Hatty' - the cute little buttons make a lovely addition to this seamless lingerie set!
After the huge popularity of the 'Taylor' from this season (see my review here), 'Taylor' gets a fashionable charcoal and teal makeover for Autumn/Winter.
The Deco 'Honey' comes in fire-engine red, with two little buttons for added style!
Here is the gorgeous Iskra wearing the new Freya soft cup Deco (28-38, C-G), who said how comfortable this piece was to wear! (I look forward to trying this one..)
Moving away from Decos, some of the other styles to look forward to include:
The Freya 'Martha' - the chic butterfly print and pastel palette work beautifully!
I loved the 'Marina' with its striking purple, green and blue texturised print! (Boo to this not being available in a 28 back!)
Freya 'Ginny' looks very vintage with its navy and white floral patterning and 'biscotti' edging.
The 'Patsy' gets a black and butterscotch make-under!
Dare to be different in the 'Dionne' with its tribal feather print and graphic lace!
New style, 'Gem', comes in two colourways (china blue or black with a soft pink contrast lining) - I really like the look of this sexy bra!
A Freya-lover's must-have bra, the 'rock chic' tattoo print 'Ada'. (Check out the 'forever Freya' and 'love Freya' motifs!)
The stylish 'Rosie' soft cup/ nursing bra
The 'Piper' mixes watercolour ditsy florals with black lace and polka dots on a peach base!
The 'Piper' longline - one of my season favourites! (Starts at a 30 back unfortunately for me!)
The ditsy print 'Carys' longline has a vintage vibe thanks to its 'biscotti' tone and ivory lace and bow motifs.
The gorgeous 'Ivy' has a slight autumnal feel to it, whilst bringing vibrancy to the collection with its teal ivy print, coloured spots and 'firecracker' red geometric lace edging!
FREYA LOUNGE
Freya's A/W12 nightwear collection is quite a girly collection with ditsy florals, lace trims and bows galore! Styles include pretty chemises with integral support panels for B-DD and E-G cups, floaty camisole tops and relaxed crop pants.
As a fan of this season's Freya 'Gracie' chemise (review here), I am pleased to see that Freya have updated their chemises for A/W12 with some gorgeous and girly fashion prints and colours!
The peach coloured Piper' chemise is just dreamy with its ditsy floral print and contrasting black polka dot bows!
The Freya 'Ivy' cami and shorts are great for those looking for an edgier print - the vibrant orange lace looks stunning against the green colour scheme and ivy print.
The Freya 'Marina' chemise is one on my 'lust' list - I can't get enough of the lovely autumnal vibe with its brushstroke print and purple and green hues!
Vintage style at its best, the Freya 'Ginny' cami top and crop pant is ideal for stylish lounging!
FREYA SWIM
(Freya 'Adelphi')
Freya Swim has some gorgeous styles for A/W12, with an array of bold prints and bright colours! You can expect lots of nautical button detailing, gingham and frills, crochet, bold floral patterns, oriental-inspired graphic prints and tribal patterns..
Freya 'Phoenix' - this multi-coloured oriental style graphic bikini will ensure that all eyes are on you on the beach!
One of my favourites was the girly gingham Freya 'Kansas' bikini - the ruffles are so cute!
The tribal trend continues! The Freya 'Belasco' mixes eye-catching brights with graphic black.
The striking graphic print 'Westend' in coral!
The Freya 'Cha Cha' is a white bikini with a sophisticated edge thanks to the gorgeous crochet detailing.
Freya 'Fever' - a classic style with a nautical edge.
Some of the matching kaftans (L-R): 'Belasco', 'Manhattan', 'Phoenix')
FREYA ACTIVE SWIM
The Freya Active Swim range for A/W12 offers a supportive swimsuit (30D-40HH) and tankini, which both boast integral cups - available in striking ultramarine (30D-38H). Made from Sensitive® Life Soft fabric (which is ecologically friendly), this collection is high quality, chlorine resistant and quick drying..
The Freya Active swimsuit with its cross-over racer back detail
Freya Active tankini
FREYA ACTIVE
After Freya Active's continued success after its launch in 2008, Freya Active has recently become the official partner to the England Netball squad and will also be involved with the 'Back to Netball' scheme. The new Freya Active performance range uses Polygiene® fabric to keep you feeling cool and fresh during your work-out. This range includes underwired sports tops, sports bras and capri pants to keep you looking good and most importantly..feeling supported and comfortable!
Freya Active underwired 'separation' sports bra
The Freya Active sports top and capri pants use Meryl ® Actisystem ™ microfibre technology to transfer body moisture and increase fabric drying speed.
FANTASIE
Fantasie lingerie never ceases to amaze with its glamorous sophistication and A/W12 certainly does not disappoint! The collection is mysterious, decadent, seductive and sexy, with lashings of lace, delicate embroidery and quality fabrics.
My absolute favourite from Fantasie was this eye-wateringly beautiful 'Susanna' basque - the black French lace over antique gold makes this piece a real stand-out!
The Fantasie 'Salsa' comes in classic black with delicate Spring flourishes.
The stylish 'Sarah' marries pinstripes with purple Austrian floral embroidery and pretty bows!
The Fantasie 'Kathryn' adds some colour to the collection with its wine, muted red, pink and green hues.
Animal print is updated in the form of the Fantasie 'Nicola', which features rich teal tones and contrasting organza bows.
The deep blue palette and beautiful Swiss embroidery of the Fantasie 'Vivienne' adds an air of mystery and seduction to this gorgeous set!
The Fantasie 'Tina' toughens up floral print with a monochrome colour scheme.
The Fantasie 'Josephine' takes on abstract florals but delivers them in a sophisticated way.
FANTASIE SWIM
(Fantasie 'Aruba')
Fantasie continues on its global travels in the A/W collection, with bold, graphic prints and bright colour combinations - perfect for looking stylish and individual on the beach.
Fantasie 'St Lucia' - this colourful set is modern and effortlessly chic!
The Fantasie 'Mauritius' bikini, swimsuit and tankini are ideal for those who want to look classy but understated on holiday..there are lots of 'mix and match' opportunities with the 'Mauritius' range too!
I love the vivid purple and pink colours of the Fantasie 'Costa Rica'!
HUIT
Although French brand, Huit 8, is out of my size range, Autumn/Winter really impressed me with its elegant and glamorous designs, infused with a pinch of 1940's style!
(Huit fans - keep your eyes peeled for S/S13 because Huit are extending their collection to include E cups too!)
How gorgeous is the 'Equivoque' with its semi-sheer scallop style cut-outs? An interesting combination of vintage chic with a modern lilac colour scheme!
The 'Noeud Pap' reminded me of the 'Scottish Queen' air bra from this season, but with an even better colour scheme of navy, grey and white. (Check out the cute mustard 'bow tie' too!)
Introducing the 'Icône' range, which features this stunning bra in raspberry lace..
...and a beautiful black vintage feel panelled bodysuit!
The Huit 8 'Saint Germain' has a touch of 1940's style to it - the navy check print over nude is a winning combination.
My favourite Huit range was definitely 'Rumeur' - the designs are steeped in glamour and seduction. This sheer scarlet red set is sure to get pulses racing!
My hands down favourite piece, however, was this jaw-droppingly stunning 'Rumeur' bustier - it looks like something Dita Von Teese would wear! (I am sorely tempted to squash myself into this..!)
HUIT SWIM
Huit 8 Swimwear has celebrity fans in the form of Reese Witherspoon and Kim Kardashian and it is easy to see why..Autumn/Winter's swim offerings (padded and unpadded) are glamorous and elegant, with shades of purple, lipstick red, marine blues and classic black.
Danni looks stunning in the Huit 'Tropic Toffy' - the exotic lipstick red matched with stylised purple tropical leaf print looks amazing!
The popular 'Lucky' style comes in lipstick red for A/W12 - this would look fantastic on all skin tones!
'Réglisse' - Stripes get a chic, contemporary update with alternations of white, black, prune and lipstick red!
The strapless prune purple coloured 'Sweet Capri' swimsuit is French chic at its best!
'Flashy Jelly' is a gorgeous new style for Huit A/W - it comes in both black and 'outremer' blue, in an unpadded and air bra style.
'Flashy Jelly' swimsuit in black
ELOMI
Elomi's 'fuller figured' lingerie offerings seem to be going from strength to strength and A/W 12 is no exception! With lace, polka dots, embroidery, petal prints and jewelled hues, this collection is very 'old Hollywood' glamour!
Alex looking gorgeous in the Elomi 'Maggie' babydoll!
The rose petal patterned 'Valentina' definitely got hearts fluttering on the Press day.
The 'Betty' comes in ocean blue for A/W!
The 'Paloma' set is a very glam padded bra set with a rich purple base and teal motifs.
The romantic Elomi 'Briony' with its pretty pink scattered leaf design on a claret base.
ELOMI SWIM
The Elomi A/W12 range builds upon the current staples of the 'Isis' collection (pictures from S/S12 Press event here). New for A/W is the 'Fiora' range, featuring a flared or ruched tankini and a flowing maxi dress. The monochrome and magenta wild flower print adds a tropical vibe to these styles..
To round up this rather long post (sorry for getting so carried away! ;)), I'd like to say a big thanks to the Eveden team for inviting me along - the collections (as you can see from the pictures) were absolutely fabulous! It was also great to have a chat to the delightful Freya team and have a good old natter with fellow lingerie bloggers (below).
Although I loved all of the collections, my overall favourite has to be Freya. I am so excited by the new Deco designs, the gorgeous loungewear and the longline bras (despite them not coming in a 28 back)! The good news, however, is that Freya ARE bringing a longline bra out for us 28 backs for Spring/Summer 2013..I will definitely be trying it when it comes out!
Love,
Kitty xo
