In Appreciation of Aprons

I often wonder why the apron has never made it out of the kitchen and into the closet of its female owners.

A few years ago, on a rummage through the stock of a vintage emporium, I found myself drawn to their collection of half aprons (you know, the ones that start from the waist and haven't been worn since the 1950s). Rather than the usual gingham check and floral embroidery you might expect, these beauties were made from chiffon, lace and silk and were more sexy than homely.

I found my friends trying on fur coats and riding boots and asked them how they would feel if I began to pair my mini dresses with an apron. "What do you mean?" asked the friend who has known me forever and should have known better. "What is that?" asked the foreign one.

"An apron" I said, "isn't it brilliant?!" They looked at me fleetingly before returning to the racks. My head hung in shame, I returned the sheer black frilly apron with gold sparkles to its home. Four years later, I wish I'd bought it.

Aprons - pretty and practical. What's not to like?

Alithia Spuri-Zampetti

The latest in a long line of Central Saint Martins graduates to cause a commotion, Alithia Spuri-Zampetti is worth the hype.

Winner of the L’Oréal Professionnel Award, Spuri-Zampetti's dazzling cut-out creations deserve every accolade available. Alithia sites floral graphics found on Japanese 'furisode' kimonos as her main inspiration, favouring them for their collage and monochrome possibilities. In fact, the result is a collection of razor-sharp pieces which evoke birds of paradise, cubism, origami, and Elizabethan knights. Sticking to a 1950s silhouette, Spuri-Zampetti avoids alienating her audience - the cut and fit of the garment is as important to her as the visual aspect.

Looking at her work is like watching a futuristic anime re-make of In the Mood for Love. That's pretty darn spectacular in my book.