Temperley London comes just in time for Spring-like weather. Credit: Denise Kuan, THEPOPFIX copyright 2009

February has just started, but with the surprisingly warm weather I’ve been experiencing, I have been keeping an eye out for summer dresses to throw on.

Temperley London’s pop-up shop at the Palihouse could not have arrived at a more appropriate time. Founded in 2000 by Alice Temperley, whose first collection was only dresses, the line has since expanded to include accessories (belts and bags, for now) and sportswear. Feminine, lightly embellished dresses that are tropical-vacation-ready have lingered as staples in Temperley’s collections, and eight successful years later, it was exciting to see how the line has evolved and matured into a quietly elegant and luxurious lifestyle collection.

Credit: Denise Kuan, THEPOPFIX/copyright 2009

The theme for Spring/Summer 2009 was “Romantic Odyssey“, clearly depicted through goddess gowns with stone-encrusted necklines and bodices, flowing blouses with intricate pleated details and sharply tailored cropped tuxedo jackets.

Credits: Denise Kuan, THEPOPFIX/copyright 2009

Temperley upped the ante on colors this season, employing shocking blue-violets, teals, pinks, blacks and whites. There were also a few rock-inspired pieces–heavy on the studs–thrown in to break up all the soft looks. And let’s not forget the pant of the season: the harem pant, available in a leopard print… perfect for the moment you want to reenact a particular scene involving a magic carpet and golden lamp. At the least, every piece of clothing in the collection could be integrated effortlessly into an existing wardrobe, but nearly all the dresses were made from silk chiffon—a bit too glamorous to be worn on a day-to-day basis. Also, a few of the items seemed out of place, notably, a strapless, tuxedo-style romper (a sexy Charlie Chaplin costume for Halloween, anyone?). On the accessories side, an apple-shaped clutch and belts made up of leather stars with nailheads lent a whimsical flair and great contrast to the formal dresses displayed.

Credits: Denise Kuan, THEPOPFIX/copyright 2009

There seemed to be a variety of ideas echoing throughout the collection, and I suppose if I were a critic viewing from my front-row seat at the show, I would say I wouldn’t know where Temperley wants to take us on her romantic odyssey. But the collection preview was wisely held in a loft at the Palihouse Holloway, and thus should have been more accurately described as: a foray into Temperley’s temporary home during her visit to Los Angeles. Immediately upon entering, you would notice a bathroom and bedroom in the right corner. I had peeked into the bedroom and clothing was strewn all over the place, as if the woman living here didn’t know what she would be wearing to the event in her living room. The living room/open kitchen area housed the new spring line, but many of the guests were too busy with their cocktails and inhaling h’or dourves to realize that this “gathering” was to showcase clothing. The remainders of Temperley’s fall collection, at a whopping 75% discount, were neatly filed into the closet space upstairs in the bedroom.

Credits: Denise Kuan, THEPOPFIX/copyright 2009

Unfortunately, my stay at the Palihouse was brief. After I asked two of the salesgirls if I could snap a photo of them in their Temperley garb and was not-so-politely rejected, I overheard two guests sneer in an obnoxiously loud tone:

“I don’t go to random parties and take a bunch of photos to stick on my blog.”

Well, I don’t either. I am not going to lie, I am usually ignored at these types of trunk show or collection preview events because I’m not stalking around in Louboutins or toting around a Birkin, I’m fine with that, but snobby salespeople and college students looking to mingle with the pretentious Hollywood crowd can ruin an evening and distract from what should have been the main event: the clothing.

Check out Palihouse, a West Hollywood boutique-hotel on 8465 Holloway Drive West Hollywood, CA 90069
T: 323 656 4100