To accompany her triumphant return to the catwalk for A/W 11, womenswear favourite Danielle Scutt has produced her first ever jewellery range for Freedom at Topshop; a surreal collection inspired by everything from Frida Kahlo to lipstick.
With an eye-catching aesthetic of sharp tailoring, bold prints and dramatic, feminine silhouettes, Danielle Scutt is one of London’s strongest and most exciting talents. Now, after a two-season hiatus spent “travelling and partying, things I’ve never had time to do”, Scutt is back, and her A/W 11 collection has been described as her strongest yet, from finely tailored jackets, skirts and jumpsuits to glamorous soft silk and crushed velvet dresses. “The collection was about a return to beauty, the femme fatale woman,” says Scutt. “The woman I design for has definitely changed, she’s more mature”. Playing a powerful role in Scutt’s return was the eye-catching statement jewellery that accompanied the clothes, from oversized gold chain belts and chunky necklaces to teapot charm earrings and woven strands of platinum blonde hair. “Since the collection was more about tailoring and classic shapes this season, the jewellery made it a lot more contemporary” says Scutt.
Although appearing extravagant and luxurious, the jewellery is surprisingly obtainable: the result of a collaboration with accessory giants Freedom at Topshop. “It’s nice to have some aspects of what I do made more accessible,” explains Scutt. The collection has partly been inspired by powerful women of the art world such as the feminist artist Frida Kahlo and Peggy Guggenheim, the socialite art collector who famously had pieces of her favourite works copied into earrings. “The jewellery these women wore was a bit quirky, a bit off-beat so I took influence from that.” Gold enamel lipsticks are also a key feature, an item that has become somewhat of a trademark for the designer. “There are so many connotations that go with the shape of it and the colour, it’s all woman, but also quite pop. It seemed like the right object to use.” All pieces from the show will be available to buy online this month, with a secondary line launching at selected Topshop stores in May. Scutt has already selected her standout piece: “The oversized chain belt with big hoops and teapots is definitely my favourite. I was looking back at old Chanel and old Versace, a time when chain belts were rife.” So after her break from the fashion world, how does it feel to return to the spotlight? “It feels really good. I realised that the shows are part of the reason I do this”, says Scutt. “I live for that catwalk moment.”
Danielle Scutt for Freedom at Topshop will be available exclusively online from 1st April 2011.
