Rue du Mail Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2012

A beautiful, soft, subtle handcrafted collection, that’s what Martine Sitbon showed us today. With every look presented on the catwalk you could see a lot of effort was put into it. Embroidery detailing, stitched patterns, beautiful pleats and watercolored prints made the collection unique and precious.

The silhouette was a mix of tight over the knee pencil skirts and loose-fitting, night gown-y dresses.  Colors changed from black and white to cobalt blue, yellow, rust and rose. The styles were a mix of Morocco (caftan) and China (watercolored prints) and presumably even more influences Sitbon discovered on her trips abroad.

Balmain Catwalk Fashion Show Paris ss2012

Now Olivier Rousteing took over the design-helm at Balmain from Christophe Decarnin the story of superrich and superglamorous still continues. After all, Rousteing was Decarnin’s right hand for years. Las Vegas and bullfighters were his source of inspiration, so there was lots of shimmer on gold or black leather, matador-jackets, suede bustiers and blazers.

The new designer surprised the audience too, with denim skirts and loose (!) pants. What he took from Las Vegas were motel wallpaper patterns for jeans and blazers and floral bedspreads worked into minidresses. Overall it was less rock ‘n roll but still young and sexy.

Balenciaga Catwalk Fashion Show Paris ss2012

It must be so embarrassing when you invite the creme de la creme of the fashionworld at your show and the benches you arranged crash while they are seated. It happened at Balenciaga this morning. And for the first time even that fashion-elite had to stand during the show.Luckily for Balenciaga and designer Nicolas Ghesquiere the clothes mad the audience forget they were feel uncomfortable. The collection was about volume and structure. Oversize was Ghesquiere next big theme this season, trying to discover how body and ultra light fabric work together.

There were high-shine, round-shouldered jackets light as air, which  came in graphic color plays over wide but otherwise tiny shorts. The dresses were impressive ,  whether in ottoman knits in  simple  T-shirt shapes or complicated fabric collages.

Gareth Pugh Catwalk Fashion Show Paris ss2012

Again a film opened the show of Gareth Pugh in Paris. Ruth Hogben made a short movie with a naked Chrystal Renn, who appeared to be bound and completely ferocious. It set an angry tone for the collection. The first part of the show the clothes looked like cages, coats made of stiff horizontal strips. Was this about protection or defense? The cages were followed by tight dresses and cropped vests in black and white.

At the end the film screen burst into purple flames, and dark warriors appeared in shiny molded coats and matching helmets.

 

Rochas Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2012

It was a sweet collection that Marco Zanini presented on the first day of Paris Fashion Week and which he described as ‘a journey through the vortex of cinema’.

His models had turned into elegant, chic women in fifties-inspired, pastelcolored (mint green, peony pink, ivory, lemon, kiwi, orange, blue) designs. Their outfits looked delicate, luxurious and original, made out of couture-like materials and new even some newly developed fabrics. All designs had their very own ‘sparkle’, whether it came from the shiny silk organza or the hand embroidered details.

A long shiny skirt with a grey knitted T-shirt appeared to be one of the youngest, most wearable looks. Shiny, almost see-through jackets looked exquisite combined with over the knee pencil skirts. And those bathing suits just breathed old skool glamour.

The styling made the show picture perfect with cat-eye glasses, organza kerchiefs covering big hair (fifties-style) and shoes varying from sky-high mules to soft suede sandals. This is how you do classy.

Dries van Noten Catwalk Fashion Show Paris ss2012

The collection Dries van Noten sent out this afternoon was build around various themes. One seemed old couture, regarding the tailored trousers, peplum pleats and drop-waisted dresses & tunics with a frilled bottom. The strongest however were the photoprints of city’s by night, nature, leaves, trees and flowers, it looked as if the designer copy-pasted parts of images into one print. It gave a contemporary character to classics like mens shirts, dresses and skirts. It also added some color now and then, green, pastelshades, blue and green. White, black and sepia were also favorites.

Other key-elements were broderie anglaise and lace, used for skirts and short jackets.

 

Round Up Milan SS2012

Milan was swinging and optimism reigned. The best looks where flirty and sensual and the Italians rooted love for crafts inspired by artistic decorations and intricate iconic patterns. Retro reminiscence was key, offering romantic nostalgia as well as prim, costumy looks. Patterns went wild from perpetual animal prints, giant size kerchief patterns, geometric deco graphics to a more hot tropical boost of wild and exotic flowers and plants.

Listing the key looks of Milan season:

SWEET MEMORIES

This trends told an entertaining tale of pretty dresses, fit and flare, full as well as swirling and swinging skirts. Prada, the brave, alternated this prettiness with spiced up romance, moving beyond proper and prim stereotypes.

 

DARED TO GO BARE

Versace stuck to sensuality and with midriff-baring bandeaux in lush, lacy, laser-cutted leathers. As did D&G, Blumarine and even Prada.

 

PRE DEPRESSION

Gucci amongst other showed 20’s glamour in a rich style, unmistakably deco inspired with the grand Chrysler building as a muse.

 

MODERN CHIC

Marni went for a cooler style and more, adding a modern twist to classic and iconic shaping and experimenting with mixed materials, layered patterns and as always in her spectacularly strange colour combinations.

 

50’s SWIMWEAR

Then surprisingly well coordinated where the pan-designer-bathing-belle looks. Like spectacular overdressed swimsters the models strolled over in crafted costumes with high waisted briefs and armoured corsetry tops, announcing a glorious return of Fifties swimwear.

 

TROPICAL ENERGY

The party went full on in a vibrant coloured festival of that was donated to us by Bottega Veneta, Missoni, Pucci and Dolce & Gabbana whose collection was inspired by the colorful Italian kitchen.

 

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View Milan SS2012: Modern Chic

There is more than sweetness and retro reminiscence. Artistic fashion architects reveal everyday beauty in powerful geometric shaping. Perfectly controlled and with optimistic freshness.

Lean masterful tailored statements in sculptural materials. From dense woven cottons as well to pure polished leather, in cool shaded plains as well as in bold graphic patterns and stripes. High decent collars and closures in multiple layered silhouettes reveal boxy tops on A-line skirts, that are under layered with chiffon pencil skirts and finished with Capri leggings.

A typical northern silhouette masterfully managed in Milan.  This look will provide consumers a fair reason to invest in fashion. Trussardi takes it clean and with masculine flair, Sportmax more sensual, Marni with a wink and Max Mara just perfect. For Fendi it was one more shot to go. Fendi managed to hit nearly every trend with a resourceful and versatile collection.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

Roberto Cavalli Catwalk Fashion Show Milan SS2012

Going from the Giorgio Armani show to that of Roberto Cavalli is quite a change. From sober to over the top, from sophisticated to sexy. And we don’t mean that in a bad way. Cavalli was overwhelming as ever, presenting lots of color, gold, embroideries and – of course – animal prints.

Cavalli too, dropped his waist. He even accentuated the models hips by thick leather belts.

It was a super feminine collection even though lots of masculine influences could be seen. Like the sharp looking suits, the tough embossed leather jackets and the suit jackets (with black strips) worn with long evening gowns.

A nice mix of styles for the Cavalli woman who doesn’t want to loose any of her sex appeal by wearing what’s in fashion right now. For next spring she mustn’t worry; the sexiness was everywhere (the colors, the prints, the shiny element and the silhouette), you can leave that up to Roberto.

Giorgio Armani Catwalk Fashion Show Milan SS2012

With the Milan Fashion Week coming to an end Giorgio Armani presented his new collection this morning. A luxurious collection full of shiny silky designs. The looks were clean and simple but never dull. Low V-necks, sheer fabrics and the beautiful use of material made sure of that.

There was a lot of diversity in the looks; for every cute dress Armani made a shiny pair of pants too. Giorgio Armani’s spring women did feel somewhat middle-aged yet she looked stunning in his over the knee skirts, asymmetric dresses and pleated jackets.

The ending was gorgeous with three models in long sequined dresses appearing on the runway. It just was a great collection, although we would have loved to see some extra color.

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