It’s time to ‘do the hustle’ because the Seventies are back in fashion. But for our Autumn/ Winter ’23 collection, it’s got some modern moves. Ain’t no stoppin us now We’re on the move! Ain’t no stoppin us now We’ve got the groove! The decade of love and liberation is back. The ‘70s saw the birth of feminism, the rise of celebrity culture and the return of glamour. Bianca Jaeger wore a white smoking jacket and wide brimmed hat to her own wedding, and gold lame to Studio 54. Jane Birkin pioneered off-duty dressing with her laissez-faire fringe, layered necklaces, flared jeans, peasant blouses and cool t-shirts. Men strutted in printed satin shirts, velvet jackets and feathers, flying the flag of the so-called Peacock Revolution. John Lennon immortalized the denim jacket. The launch of the first jumbo jets inspired nomadic voguey-yogis to traverse the globe in tinted glasses, faux fur and care-free fluid fabrics, and the term jet-set was coined. There were multi-colour patchworks, crochet, ruffled blouses, dramatic bell sleeves and glam rock vibes. And while disco balls twirled with a kaleidoscope of colour, so did the clothes that people wore. From tunics and glitter tights to turtlenecks and tailoring, there were no hard and fast rules -. everyone was free to follow the fashion trends that spoke to them. Given the last few years of limitations and lockdowns, it’s not surprising that the decade’s free-spirited aesthetic is informing our fashion choices. In Angels’ Face Autumn Winter ’23 Collection you will find: denim jackets, chunky hand knits, fringed crocheted ponchos, ruffles, rich colours, tulle with plaid, poplin with sequins, a metallic take on tweed, crystal buttons, sparkling tights, black and white with bold accents, beautiful brocades, gold printed tulle, sunray pleats and embellished velveteen. “I wanted to inject a level of sophistication with a Seventies vibe, a new ‘Peacock Revolution,’ bringing back colour and opulent fabrics mixed together in a new way,” says Angel’s Face designer and founder, Keely Deiniger. While Angel’s Face might be riding the 70s zeitgeist, Keely has a more personal attachment to the collection, informed by three generations of women – her sister, her mother, and her grandmother. “My sister had a dress with a white Peter Pan collar. Oh, how I wished it was mine. So, I have brought it back to life by making it in a Prince of Wales plaid threaded with metallic silver. Wow, ‘my sister’s dress’ now wants to party! The idea of mixing metallics with plaid was sparked by a memory of my grandmother making miniature clothes out of scraps of fabric she had from altering dresses for people. She was very fashion forward and an avid reader of Vogue. We had the best Pippa dolls around! My sister and I both had ponchos made from crochet granny squares. They were bright and colourful and we wore them with everything. We especially loved the fringing. They are the inspiration behind this season’s knitted layers. As for my mother, she would combine lots of rich colours. I especially remember that her dresses had lots of layers and ruffles. They were put together by a lovely dressmaker; my mother never wore anything someone else had. We would go to the haberdashery and pick out wonderful laces and crystal buttons. In our Autumn Winter 23 collection, this translates as dresses in claret pink and gold variations with grosgrain bows, guipure lace trims and lots of tiers and ruffles. What I remember most about my grandmother’s Vogue magazines was the striking amount of black and white used with flashes of bold colour. So, I have included unexpected bright pink linings to black and white pieces or exposed pink zips in zebra jacquard dresses. And there you have it, straight out of the depth of my memory, from being 5 years old,” says Keely. Key looks from the collection: Starstruck "The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff." - Carl Sagan. When it comes to glamour, celestial bodies are this season’s most magical motif. There are pearlized sequin, gold and sparkling stars on ruffled tulle dresses; applique stars on classic tees; glitter stars on tulle sleeved jersey tees; and multi-coloured stars on tiered tulle skirts…. Any which way, she’ll be the star of her own show. Unicorns and Champagne “Well, now that we have seen each other,” said the unicorn, “if you’ll believe in me, I’ll believe in you.” - Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass. Brave, mystical one-horned creatures come cantering into the collection on the back of hope, faith and the positive power of imagination. But for Autumn/Winter 2023 they get a more sophisticated spin. There are unicorns on metallic and navy jacquard dresses with petal shaped sleeves and on metallic and navy jacquard winter shorts, best teamed with anglaise trimmed poplin blouses or champagne tulle tops. Denim with a Difference The 70s and denim go together like Jimi Hendrix and a guitar. Dress it up: Glitter tights add disco decadence to a denim-on-denim jacket and skort ensemble, while a metallic pink jeans skirt with a matching frilled jeans jacket brings the party to you! Dress it down: A denim jacket layered over a long metallic pleated tulle skirt, or over a floral bouquet tulle dress in a ‘70s palette, gives instant street cred. Houndstooth, The Prince of Wales and the Velveteen Queen Winter shorts in not-so-plain metallic plaid or houndstooth worn with a crystal-embellished frilled poplin shirt, layered under a fringed chunky knit top has all the swag of the Seventies with a ‘right-now’ nuance. “Cool vibes with a nod to the past,” says Keely. Crafty Crochet A granny square crochet cropped cardigan or poncho in a pallet of pinks and purples against a black background with hand-fringed edges are the easiest way to embrace the Seventies spirit. Wear them with denim shorts, classic Ponte Roma ski pants or a super-soft-to-the-touch velveteen skirt with a shock of pink piping. Always Pretty in Pink Pink isn’t just a colour, it’s an attitude.’ – Miley Cyrus Dusty pink, champagne pink, hot pink, metallic pink: Floaty dresses with big bows trimmed in guipure lace, fluid dresses with eyelash sleeves, tulle skirts with Prince of Whales hearts, indigo and pink tulle tiered dresses that put a new twist on tie dye, claret pink and gold striped dresses that announce they’ve come to party… Equal parts nostalgic and contemporary, symbolising femininity and freedom, pink is the stand-out colour of the season. But it’s not all frills and froufrou, pink can pack a powerful punch too. Biker jackets in blush soft suede with crystal logo buttons and gold zips combine sweetness with swagger. On the other hand, a dusty pink tracksuit with grosgrain and tulle down the sides, proves that ‘sporty’ can have a softer side. Black and White… and a shock of pink Black and white is always red carpet-ready and Angels’ Face has the Oscar-worthy diamond zip coat to prove it. Our zebra jacquard skirts and jumpers with pink lining create a show-stopping supporting act. Time to Party, Time to Shine Glittering printed velveteen leggings, a black georgette dress with a gold lace trimmed bow, a hooded poncho embellished on the back with crystal wings, lilac and gold houndstooth with a crystal heart buckled bow, a sequined gold vest (worn with or without a cotton shirt underneath), a metallic gold sunray pleated long skirt…Tactile, iridescent, and party-ready, it’s time to sparkle and spin. The Accessories of the Season “Gold or silver shoes and boots,” says Keely. “Go for it! Why not? It’s fun to wear silver boots when you are eight.” Coats that make you smile My favourite piece of the season has to be our blue faux fur coat with a smiley face on the back, because it represents everything this collection is about – luxury, warmth, comfort, fun, freedom, fancy… and because it makes us do exactly that – smile!” says Keely. In designing this collection Keely was inspired by the 19th-century artist and textile designer, William Morris, who famously said: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” Says Keely, “I used that as my north star to create a collection in which each and every piece is both useful and beautiful.”