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.

 

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.

 

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.

Dolce & Gabbana Catwalk Fashion Show Milan ss2012

The Italian kitchen with all its colors and the traditional way Italians celebrate festivities was the inspiration for Dolce & Gabbana’s spring summer 2012 collection. The designers imagined themselves a small town in the South of Italy, decorated for festivities. The whole show and stage recalled the typically Italian joyful spirit: from the distinctive illuminations that adorn every street and the fragrances and tastes of Mediterranean food, down to the crochet that embellishes tablecloths.

Tomatoes, aubergine, courgette, onions and hot pepper prints brightened up the classic sheath dresses or dresses cut at the waist and ruched, tops, shorts and deconstructed jackets. All clothes were made in organza or cotton, mixed with crochet in pastel colours such as light blue, peach, beige and nude.
The sensuality of the Italian culinary culture and of the traditions are also expressed in the accessories made of pasta and little tomatoes, onions and small Madonnas that decorate shoulder bags, earrings, necklaces and bracelets. On the other hand, bags and shoes are made of that typical intertwined plastic that recalls the chairs one can find at the bars.
At night the black brocade dresses and jackets are covered with shiny stones of the same colour, while the sparkling geometries of the illuminations that decorate the streets are recreated through embroideries made of multi-coloured crystals on lace dresses.

Watch the video of the show:

 

Marni Catwalk Fashion Show Milan ss2012

Modern elegance, that is the Marni spring 2012 collection  in two words. Beautiful in it’s simplicity and silhouette, upbeat in it’s color-palette and modern where it comes to print and fabrics. The elegant dresses, just nip-tucked  in the waist, in sorbet-colors where mouth watering, as were the deux pieces. The see through nude-colored skirts that peeped out under the skirts added a sensual touch.

The show started in plain colors, followed by flowerprints in pastels, shades of brown and yellow and multicolored. There was a lightly ethnic vibe in a silver/brown/black print for dresses at the end of the show. But again, this Marni-collection proved that classics can look modern and almost futuristic by the use of high tech fabrics and still be wearable at the same time.

Watch the video here:

 

Emilio Pucci Catwalk Fashion Show Milan SS2012

Girls, you better start working on your abs ‘cause the cropped tops trend is here to stay. After having seen it at Prada, Versace and Preen, it was a big hit at Emilio Pucci today too. Gypsy looking girls wore them with patchwork maxi skirts and lots of jewelry. With lace fabric on the front they were a bit on the edgy side, but the real Pucci girls will definitely find a way to work with that.

The rest of the collection was kinda risqué too with lots of sheer and lace parts. Like the red and pink printed sheer dress, which left nothing to the imagination. Or the black mesh tunic worn by Melissa Tammerijn, which gave everything away. Not to mention the revealing black lace skirt and cropped top, which Gwyneth Paltrow was able to pull off on the red carpet earlier this week.

Yet despite the collection being pretty raunchy; the clothes looked beautiful. Especially the pastel colored prints Dundas used on several floor-sweeping designs were to die for. And after we’ve created our very own six pack we sure will be able to come up with some good underwear solutions for those incredible see-through pieces of Pucci.

Just Cavalli Catwalk Fashion Show Milan ss2012

This was good old Cavalli-stuff: smoky-eyed models in low skinny pants and sheer tops, animal prints and leather jackets. The Just Cavalli-collection was sexy and young, bohemian and rock ‘n roll. Just what his younger clientele wants.

Jil Sander Catwalk Fashion Show Milan ss2012

And again, Raf Simons left the audience at Jil Sander breathless, this time after presenting his spring 2012 collection. It was minimalist indeed, with the white cotton shirt as the centerpiece and starting point of the collection. Pure and simple. Other elements of the collection was marriage and women at beauty salons. The silhouette was gracefoul and lean, with mid-calf skirts and sleeveless tops. The show opened and closed with white dreses, the first strict and elegant with a sensual undertone, the last romantic and clean. In between there were suits and skirts and jackets and tops in paisley-print and gingham, sometimes with a transparant layer. Knitwear was based on Picasso’s ceramics.

Overall the collection had a cinematic feel and a Fifties vibe.

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