This season Eley Kishmito staged a lighthearted theatrical winter runway-production for the enjoyment of the jaded London fashion crowd. Played out against the back drop of a make-shift ski lodge and winter themed set design, this collection was all about unapologetic fun. Indeed, when an outsized Percy the penguin shares the limelight with ski-wear clad models struggling to navigate a fake snow covered catwalk in stilettos, fashion is rendered a humorous caricature of itself.

Designed to brighten up the slopes in ski capitals like, Aspen, Vail, St. Moritz, and Gstaad, Eley KishimotoÕs colorful creations for Ellesse featured revamped nylon salopettes, retro form fitting one piece suits and zippered Gortex jackets. As for the off-piste style race; Kishimoto conceived, adorable multihued pompom polo neck sweaters, snipped Lycra pants, and baby-doll dresses embossed with mountain ranges, penguins, and shooting stars.

However, KishimotoÕs decision to bypass snow footwear in favor of slender-heeled pumps (despite Marc JacobsÕs chunky moon-bootsÕ wild success) was a difficult move to decipher. Further, replacing the strangely out of place Zorro masks with goggles would have better complemented the overall winter-wonderland theme.