It's that transitional time of year: autumn is morphing into winter, tea into hot chocolate, and fleece into fur. This season, however, fashion hasn't stopped there. From Louis Vuitton to Roger Vivier, multifunctional items are proliferating, and the accessory you see today may take on an entirely different shape tomorrow.
At Vuitton, for example, the Seduction boots (prices start from ￡1,340) unzip to three lengths: an ankle, a knee-high, and a thigh-high; Prada's leather welly-cum-biker-boots (￡750) have detachable straps and sewn in socks; and at Alexander McQueen, the Biker clutch features a detachable glove (￡475). Vivier's Sacdujourdusoir bag sports clip-on exteriors (price available on request), and Anya Hindmarch's Handsfree bag (￡295), with its body strap and removable pockets, is a hit among London's trendsetting bicyclists. Then there's Chanel's garment bag (from ￡1080), which offers an in-built coat hanger.
The trend also extends to ready-to-wear, with Aquascutum's Aquamac (￡275) folding away into its own pocket. Meanwhile, Roland Mouret's Carré will be the designer's second multifunctional garment – promising both a skirt and a top in one for spring/summer 2010. His first offering was the Top Tunic Dress (￡645), which, as the name suggests, can be worn as a top, a tunic and a dress.