Designer Jenny Packham s Glamorous #NYFW Collection was Inspired by a Particular 70 s Socialite

British designer Jenny Packham s shimmery show at New York Fashion Week is making us want to get invited to a chic cocktail party, stat.  From one-shoulder gowns to silk kaftans and jumpsuits, the pieces were bursting with shimmery crystals, feathers and chic metallic glitter – all of which pay homage to the designer’s main source of inspiration – 70’s socialite Bianca Jagger. “It’s eclectic, and slightly more playful,” Packham tells InStyle.com of the show. “We’ve put a lot more textures in—we’ve got satin, we’ve got some quite heavy beading, we’ve got shimmery beading, a little bit of everything.”
Just like Jagger herself, the pieces are elegant, decadent and effortless. “The [Jenny Packham woman] has integrity and wit,” Packham says. “I like the challenge of dressing ladies in lots of different things. With an evening wear collection, each piece has to be quite individual.”

Individual, it was – a juxtaposition of the carefree era of the 70’s with the structure of tailored pieces in bluebird blues, soft caramel and her favorite color, “wild cherry.”
One of our favorite aspect of the collection? The fact that nearly anyone can wear it. “I think it’s been nice in the last year, we’ve been dressing all different ages; we’ve got Helen Mirren who’s 68, then we’ve got Anna Kendrick. I like the challenge of dressing women in all sorts of different things. I think the eveningwear the criteria is that they want to walk into the room and get that ‘wow’ factor.”
While our eyes were glued to the runway during the show, Packham was also making a statement on the other side of the pond, as Kate Middleton was simultaneously stepping out in an off-the-shoulder navy blue tulle dress with a velvet belt by the designer (that the Duchess had worn three months earlier].
Since Packham is clearly no stranger to celebrity dressing, which Hollywood starlet would she love to dress next? “I met Cate Blanchett the other night; I would so love to dress her, so I told her that! She was lovely, she’s quite shy in a way, she’s strong woman but at the same time reserved.”
See more from inside New York Fashion Week.
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