Prada Catwalk Fashion Show Milan Womenswear ss2012

Shiny, streamlined and sexy like a car, that was Prada’s ss2012 womenswear-collection. The sweet colors, full (pleated) skirts and carcoats reminded of the Fifties but of course Miucca Prada added her own modern touch by the use of fabrics, prints and accessories. And instead of last summer’s bananas she presented another print that surely will be copied sooner or later: cartoon cars and Thunderbird-flames.

There was more, of course:  grey felt coats with appliqué flowers all over the front in blue and cream or in orange and green; stiff, pleated skirts worn to the knee with Thunderbird-flames in pale pink broderie anglaise; cotton tube tops worn over pencil skirts; cotton house coats in pale blue with lapels in a contrasting print;  dresses with elastic in the waist. This was certainly a collection to be remembered.

Fendi Catwalk Fashion Show Milan ss2012

The models at the Fendi-show looked like housewives from the Sixties with their beehive hair and pleated dresses with apron-fronts. The collection Karl Lagerfeld presented reminded us of women cooking, baking and cleaning dressed in stiff apron-like dresses, black and white ensembles, bermudas and jackets. It was a no nonsense chic, with the fly-eye shades and cotton jackets, featuring bare shoulderparts and soft, shapely cuts to match the full skirts.

The tufted fur coats of mustard and green fox, wide mesh striped knits and multiple bangles worn up the wrist had a homespun appeal. While the sleeveless cable-knit jumpers – oversized in cream or black with sheer back panels – and the little jackets added a more casual feeling.

Streetfashion Milan Womenswear ss2012 Day 1

What are you wearing during the coming fashionweeks? Your Gucci-shoes, your latest Celine-dress or that vintage Givenchy? Maybe we’ll spot you in Paris, Milan, New York or Amsterdam. During the fashionweeks we refresh our streetwear posts regularly. We don’t judge, we’re not the fashion-police, we just enjoy fashion and your own personal style. Next stop: Milan  Fashion Week.

Gucci Catwalk Fashion Show Milan ss2012

From the flowing, moody jewel-colored Seventies style to a more constructed, hard and geometric jazzy style – that’s the turn Gucci-designer Frida Giannini took this season. And this anniversary-collection looks quite different. Polished as ever, but with jazzy influences (flapper-dresses), references from the Twenties and Thirties, Louise Brooks, African Art and Man Ray. But also the geometric lines of the art deco style the American way – as in the Chrysler building – and the metallic surfaces. Giannini herself said in the show-notes she wanted to show an optical side of femininity, a sculptural glamor.

Well, glamorous it was, and polished but somehow it lacked a certain softness and sensuality. Maybe it’s because of the mix of equestrian elements like striped, double-breasted jockey-jackets, the green/ocre/white and black. Or the straight lines and hard metallics.

Hopefully we’ll find more of Gucci’s sensual warmth in the museum that’s soon to be opened in Florence.

 

 

Hello Milan!

The team landed in Milan yesterday and we’re ready to give you all ins and outs about the womenswear-collections ss2012 in Milan plus streetwear-posts. Also: check our video’s.  Today we start with Gucci and Alberta Ferretti. You will see the pictures and reviews later this afternoon. Enjoy!

 

Highlights London Fashion Week ss2012

Some 104 shows and presentations in London in one weekend. After one week of New York fashion this seemed an unreasonable task, but journalists, buyers and photographers succeeded. And just before Milan takes off, we want to present you the highlights of London ss2012. Erdem, Burberry, Christopher Kane and Paul Smith all delivered beautiful collections which made sense and also fitted in the trends we saw already blossoming in New York.

Burberry Prorsum

Christopher Bailey was paying homage to all things natural. Skirts with high, tight waists  teamed with form-fitting tops of striped crocheted wooden beads. Woven raffia, in stripes of mustard and navy or plum and black, made super slim, high-waisted pencil skirts under cropped, cotton Parkas. There were African inspired prints for draped dresses, jackets and skirts.

 

Erdem

Erdem’s focus was again on florals, which he re-uses season after season. This time round they were  pretty: buds of cornflower-blue, lemon and poppy-red dotted, off-the-shoulder dresses, chiffon skirts and shifts.

 

Christopher Kane

To create his “ghost fabric”, an iridescent metallic floral that crackled with light and movement, Christopher Kane layered four materials including an organza made almost entirely of aluminium. He mixed it up with semi-transparent dresses patched with flower stickers, washed-out pastel satins,  sleeveless cricket jumpers and flat sandals.

 

Pringle of Scotland

This was Alistair Carr’s debut at Pringle’s womenswear.  Knits were the star, from trompe l’oeil intarsia technique that made light work of chunky herringbone. Twinsets were present too, fastened at the back for summer. There were also silk dresses patchworked together with twinset buttons.

 

Paul Smith

Sir Paul and his team know more about tailoring than any other womenswear designers, that’s why is menswear-inspired womenswear-collections always looks so stunning and perfect. And his use of color is unique.

 

Giles Deacon

The collection and show of Giles Deacon seemed a meeting of heaven and hell. The angelic looks of feathers, silver dresses and laser cuts combined with vivid red detailing to offset them. The swan became the overriding theme, featuring as it did as a print on everything from couture-esque gowns to trousers and tunic and in tiara’s. This was drama to the max.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Streetfashion London Womenswear ss2012 Day 3

What are you wearing during the coming fashionweeks? Your Prada-boots, your latest Celine-dress or that vintage Chanel? Maybe we’ll spot you in Paris, Milan, New York or Amsterdam. During the fashionweeks we refresh our streetwear posts regularly. We don’t judge, we’re not the fashion-police, we just enjoy fashion and your own personal style. Next stop: London  Fashion Week.

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

Streetfashion London Womenswear ss2012 Day 2

What are you wearing during the coming fashionweeks? Your Prada-boots, your latest Celine-dress or that vintage Chanel? Maybe we’ll spot you in Paris, Milan, New York or Amsterdam. During the fashionweeks we refresh our streetwear posts regularly. We don’t judge, we’re not the fashion-police, we just enjoy fashion and your own personal style. Next stop: London  Fashion Week.

Streetfashion London Womenswear ss2012 Day 1

What are you wearing during the coming fashionweeks? Your Prada-boots, your latest Celine-dress or that vintage Chanel? Maybe we’ll spot you in Paris, Milan, New York or Amsterdam. During the fashionweeks we refresh our streetwear posts regularly. We don’t judge, we’re not the fashion-police, we just enjoy fashion and your own personal style. Next stop: London  Fashion Week.

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