THE WAIT IS OVA

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With my inbox groaning under the weight of sneak peak exclusives (and expectations of Imelda-ness) it’s time to get back to the business of being despotic (or so I was told last night by all and sundry as I catwalked my way around town).

Since the haute frauline Chuh-Chuh previewed Sanderson’s S/S 10 collection a week ago (you snooze you lose) and the Despotic Queen has a nasty aversion to sloppy seconds, we’ll be brief.

Whist’s it not Imelda’s MO to play favourites, Sanderson holds a special place in mien heart of darkness. Of course peppering your emails with statements like this, “the Despotic Queen and her Imeldettes are Sanderson’s fave people in the world ever” helps grease up my touchstone of tyranny. But mien love affair with the Brit designer really got all Alex Forester after this INTERVIEW.

Sanderson proved to be a playful and good-humoured interviewee and because of his willingness to ‘play along’ has earned a lifetime of devotion from the Despotic Queen (a terrorizing thought if it wasn’t for the fact that I’m an 80 year-old woman!), thus explaining my decision to serve up a re-heated sloppy seconds post.

According to Sanderson, S/S 10 sees the Brit designer taking a step back from “the giant heels and platforms of previous collections”. I wouldn’t have classified Sanderson as a ‘giant heels’ type of designer, I see his signature esthetic as minimal elegance so this claim piqued my interest and I’ve been keen to see what’s in-store.

Last time we spoke, Sanderson revealed he’d been commissioned to design the footwear for David McVicar’s Royal Opera House production of Aida and we could “expect a little Egyptian influence” in his S/S10 collection.

Sanderson explained he had “a lot of fun playing with negative spaces and cutouts” and that ‘Hot Rod’s’ (see below) were another influence for the collection.

Sanderson has juxtaposed his new ‘pared back’ esthetic by using masculine fabrications like patent (in mellifluous red) and tough hardware trims.

Giving me cause for concern is Sanderson’s new clog-hybrid - a sand shoe upper on a wooden clog base. The designer claims in hushed tones “it still manages to be quintessentially Rupert” but Imelda’s not sold. Technically there’s nothing wrong with the shoe but as far as hybrids go, this one in my opinion, misses the mark. Although Imelda’s keenly aware that clog style shoes are one of the key silhouettes for S/S10 it doesn’t mean I have swim with the tide, does it?

Aside from delivering another brilliant collection and inking a long-term partnership with Karl Lagerfeld, Sanderson has finishing up the year with an accolade. Last week, Conde Nast title FN named Sanderson as one of the nine designers to watch in ’10, which if Imelda knows anything about Sanderson, and I think I do, it’ll be going straight to the pool room.