Biz Buzz: Luella, the show you won't be seeing

Biz Buzz keeps its fabulously accessorized ear to the ground to provide breaking fashion news coverage.

Recession has meant the demise of many labels, but few closures have come as such a shock as that of Luella. Created by the Central St. Martin College’s grad Luella Bartley, Luella was among a rare few (along with the likes of Marc by Marc Jacobs) to create looks that were girlish yet geeky in the best possible way: 50s prom queen meets comic book hero.

 

Goodbye, Luella

News of the impending closure surfaced in early November, two months after the showing of her Spring/Summer 2010 collection. Spokesmen for the label went into talks with new potential backers, but no firm agreement was established. Since then, pieces from the collection have been marked down to drastically low prices and no further bids have been made public. Ironically, during the height of her label collapse, Luella was placed on the Queen’s “2010 New Year’s Honours List,” and set to become an MBE, or Member of the Order of the British Empire.

Though we won’t be seeing her in 2 weeks at London Fashion Week, Bartley’s career is far from spent. She has recently penned a book that promises to teach readers (Brits and non-English roses alike) how to work the best elements of Anglo style into their own wardrobes.  The book will hopefully be released around September, in time for the next round of London Fashion Week. Ultimately, Luella’s influence will live on in the throngs of fashionistas lacing up their Doc Martin’s each morning and brandishing oversized glasses.

- by Emily Montgomery