First View Paris ss2012: Couture Spirit

The clear read line through Paris catwalk shows is a couture spirit reminiscent of the fifties and sixties. One designer more then the other found ways to translate this precious era in a contemporary and new look. Finding a shared challenge in the search for new proportions yet clearly inspired by the rounded full shaping of that era. Materials where traditional and precious, yet some realised that typical sculptural aspect in novel manmade yet ever so luxurious fabrics. A, I and egg shaped, reduced and iconic, minimal use of details and executed in mostly black and white.

Going back to the archives was what most designers did. Céline created a masterful understated and reduced version and managed to shape couture within a desirable ‘Philo’ mould. Dries van Noten offered grand couture looks in pouf dresses and skirts, finding a way to update by combining these with print and sturdy biker jackets. Rick Owens shifts in all its striking understatement between pillar and egg. Where Balenciaga made the most modern translation by truly redefining couture’s contours. He turned urban wear into couture, so took another road to come to richness by giving city wear the haute treatment. Rochas, how else could it be, took it factual and dived fully into archives using silk duchesse and organza to show the full flavour and grandeur of the couture legacy.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

First View Paris ss2012: a dress is a dress is a dress

So the dressed-up mood seems there to stay. From careful sculpted and tailored precious gowns with Hollywood appeal, to immaculate sweet nothings in fluttery organza.

Sure is that a couture mood runs through prêt-à-porter collections worldwide. A dressed-up dress-parade shows a rich variety of smart classy daywear as well as more dramatic evening wear. Next to couture spirit an obvious 80’s flavour is intertwined that loosens up hard edge couture looks and adds flair by means of long slits and slices in shifts, tunics and robe manteaux.

Lanvin adds strong character to luxurious understated and monumental shapes in interesting fabrics where texture and drape determine the look in total absence of unnecessary details. Nina Ricci adds urban twists to a heavenly and lingerie inspired collection, where Rick Owens turns tailoring into religion, showing monolithic gowns. Dior opens the box of its rich legacy; showing reworked and modernized dresses reminiscent of the golden age of haute couture.

So to be fair, a dress is more then just a dress.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View Paris ss2012: Poetic Vision

Viewing the first Paris collections immediately made clear that 50’s Retro, Tropicana and Crafts are definitely on trend, worldwide.

But here we want to highlight a different mood. A lovely tale of heroines travelling the world, picking up inspirations, connecting and merging the east and the west and marrying these influences in lovely, narrative and poetic stories.

The spirit is romantic, exquisitely elegant and fuelled with craftsmanship in tailoring, embellishment, pattern as well as cut. Some glowful decadence in androgynous looks with a daring sensual twist. Shades of China show in dangling tassels, kimono-like wraps, north-African caftans and western suiting. Manipulated city- and landscapes in photo print as well as historical engravings of gardens of Eden.

Ann Demeulemeester goes sensual and combines fluid flared skirts and dresses with elongated suit coats. Severe black suiting with barely-there veils and free flowing fringes. Dries van Noten adds ruffles and ruches to pure, stern silhouettes and narrative prints to bold black and white. Rick Owens adds roundness and softness to column-like contours. Each of them envisioning a positive future. To speak with Owens: a gateway to heaven.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

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

First View Milan SS2012: Before the depression

 

Another wave of Hollywood momentums, Art Deco reminiscence and pre depression jazz inspiration results in one more round of heirloom dressing. A pure celebration of the dress. For one the canvas to proof the lucky marriage between technology and crafts, for others a manifest to elevate the artisan over the machine. From minutely laser-cut decorations to intricate embroidery, beading and fringing. The 1920’s revived with modern twists; patterns inspired by ancient architectural icons as The Chrysler building, or lean away-from-the-body shifts inherited from the jazz-era. Paul Poiret would smile happily if he got a glimpse of this proud parade. Glorious chiffon dresses in supple mousselines match with lovely silks, polished rattan and liquid leather. Both Alberta Ferretti, Etro as well as Gucci show surprising, probably unmeant consensus.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View Milan ss2012: Dare to be Bare

How relieved where we when top-lengths dropped covering midriffs generously half a decade ago. After seasons of revealed bellies the elongated tops seemed so much more luxurious and sophisticated. Yet now we seem to enter a period of hedonism once more, celebrating the body, enjoying fashion and consuming style.

It might be a more reduced and considerate attitude, yet true fashion lovers do go for show-off. A rich variation of midriff-baring sweet nothings show once more the likes for frivolous looks. Where the Belgium professor Helmut Gaus once ‘proved’ that skirt-lengths dropped during depression, these research results surely don’t correlate with top-lengths moving up in depth of crisis. In Milan we note barely-there bandeaux at Versace, lush wrap tops at Blumarine, puffed and crafted tunnel tops at Prada, where Emilio Pucci goes gypsy with intricate lace trimmed  bra-tops.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View Milan ss2012: Sweet Memories

Celebrating the sweet is what Miucca Prada preaches for ss2012. Reminiscent of famous movie-moments these catwalk beauties look soft, smooth and sensual. This polished romance is not always just innocent since frivolous fabrics alternate with shimmery plastics and lush leather. Dressed up looks show a continuous interest in accessories and jewelry with supersized glasses, sparkling jewelry and charming bags.

Blugirl goes innocent, with sweet florals in pretty pastels, where Fendi adds a touch of concealed drama in ladylike looks. Fabrics as well as shapes have pin up appeal; lovely lace tops, frilled aprons and pretty plisse skirts. Adding to the lust for print, as we noticed in New York, Milan shows Fifties inspired patterns in the loveliest of colour schemes.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

 

Round Up New York ss2012

The good news is that the NY spirit was more optimistic and colourful, decorative and creative then we have seen for a long time.  The big news was digital printing. But how new was that? We recognised many inspirations from previous seasons from various hands. Repeated looks and themes where blended, swirled and twisted. It was like everything was like anything and everybody inspired everyone and all collections of previous seasons came together for a cheerful remembrance party.  But yet we still would like to point out some clear leads.

SPORTS VIBE

With Alex Wang at the forefront, this shows the feel for active and performing, technical fabrics. It’s very sports inspired, with racy details and closures and fuelled with sensuality.

 

TRIBAL

Proenza Schouler and Donna Karen hit the road with rattan and raffia tribal patterns in an African ethnic palette.

 

ARTIFICIAL CHIC

Marc Jacobs didn’t want things to feel real and they didn’t. Reminiscent of Prada he played with plastics and high sheen, sparkling surface effects and all kinds of innovative finishing. Dazzle and flash.

 

DIGITIZE

Why did it take that long and why does it stay that close to the pavement laid out by those great pioneers, Alexander McQueen and Mary Katranzou. Lovely, happy and very exiting though.

 

RETRO HOLIDAY

This theme shares with us moments of nostalgia and makes us long for times that were innocent and frivolous. Holiday forever in these not just referenced, yet simple literary quoted historic silhouettes.

And it just can be that you find al those influences passing by in one single catwalk show, serving collections like ‘grand desserts’.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View New York ss2012: Tribal

Urban tribes stride the catwalk. Each designer driven by personal inspirations and motivations. ‘Afriluxe’ states Michael Kors, a more minimal tribal turn for BCBG, Haiti influenced Donna Karan where Proenza Schouler designers followed their feel for crafts. Roomy tunics, slouchy shifts and rompy sweaters shape this decorative and laid back look. Brush stroke prints, dip-dyed patterns in a Haitian inspired colour palette; earthy shades and shots with burning orange, deep purple, golden ochre and sea green. Superior craftsmanship is shown in beaded patterns, raffia weaves and tie-dye, batik and ikat patterns. From precise and traditional folk interpretations to expressive, graphic and large-scale tribal twists.

This third ‘Stylespot’, analysing the New York catwalks, is one more proof of the power of print.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

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