The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2019 - Issue 26

bite designer profile was over and it was announced that DAKS was back to selling their clothes to the public, people formed long queues down Piccadilly. Simpson tailors would measure them in line and present suitable pairs of trousers to them once they got into the Simpsons of Piccadilly store. The Piccadilly branch was the brainchild of Alexan- der and designed by architect Joseph Emberton as a new and revolutionary retail establishment. Inter- estedly, the shop front windows had the first curved glass display in Great Britain and the largest in the world at the time. It was designed so that the re- flection wouldn’t obscure the displays inside. Before moving the revamped DAKS to a new flagship store on Old Bond Street in 1999, the Piccadilly store sold designer labels such as Armani and Christian Dior. DAKS is the holder of three Royal Warrants which represent their long-standing relationship with the Royal Family and the outstanding quality of their products. The first was granted by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 1956, followed by Her Majesty The Queen in 1962, and the third by HRHThe Prince of Wales in 1982. Interestedly, the brand name is made up of the initials of Alexander Simpson and the first initial and last letter of his business associate Dud- ley Beck’s name. Simeon and Alexander Simpson would probably never have imagined that their brand’s designs would go on to walk the catwalks at London and Milan Fashion Week in the 21st century. Whilst keeping in with the traditions of their luxury cloth- ing, the garments have a modern flair. The first col- lection shown on the catwalk was in February 2010 for AW10 which drew inspiration from the world of aviation. With an autumn palette of mostly camel, this was coupled with greys, blacks, charcoal, and pops of baby pink and white. Sherlock Holmes’ attire was another inspiration as several models worn the deerstalker hat in black, light grey and the brand’s signature house check. The jumpers in camel, matched with a brown skirt or trousers, and worn by the female models, looked soft, comfortable, and neat, while the men’s dark grey shirt and black trousers, with a camel cardigan thrown over the shoulders, looked polished. The house check made their statement in the form of the trench and long coats, deerstalker hats, skirts, and trousers. Although there was a lot of mustard and black at the beginning of the show, with a touch of green and white in the SS11 collection, the fabrics were light and flowing. Tops and shirts were tucked into belted hot pants, high-waisted trousers and pleated skirts giving the collection a 1930s feel. Black and white dominated for a time with plenty of flowing