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 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 Paris FW2011: Dark Romance

The last few days in Paris a fantastic myriad of hybrid creatures passed by in a theatrical scenery. Mysteriously clad in dramatic silhouettes in exuberant fabrics and tailoring.

Rebellious and gothic, Amazonian warriors in black clouds of silk slung with giant leather belts. Haider Ackerman showed the most magnificent and elegant approach towards this dark witchcraft in dense burgundies, deep sapphires and intense forest green.

Black boots accessorize dresses and coats in silk, velvet, leather and fur. This feel for dark romance is wide spread on Paris catwalks.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam.

First View Paris FW2011: Surface & Proportion

Paris opens with an almost academic exercise in shape and proportions. Supersize knits in chunky ribbons of faux leather by Balenciaga in contrast with rococo prints on fluid crepe de chine. Miyake shows giant hounds tooth on models wrapped in outsized origami.

Dries van Noten works in clashing king-size graphics reminiscent of Russian constructivism. Pugh and Owens go monumental, composing leather into architectonic and iconic works of art.

But this is not just about the grand gesture. The surprise is in the detail; crafted tailoring, precious surface effects, appliquéd and gilded aspects, embossed and hand coloured leather and ribbon weaves.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam.

Round Up Milan FW2011

All lovely femininity and seduction is what we perceived past week in Milan. This is definitely part of the Milan signature. Here are some linking influences to round up Milan: a shared sense of nostalgia, amazing fabrics (it’s all in the mix) and exiting colour schemes.

Gucci and Prada put a big mark on this Milan season. They are the runners up in the 5 influences we like to quote.

SIXTIES Prada moved us towards the 60s and 70s, some literary references like dropped waists with big, low-slung belts and chunky buttons. But most of all innovative and refreshing.

GLAM: Gucci reinforces the 20’s, 30’s feel, which was already strong in NY, and this was done masterful in an amazing mix of saturated shades, topped with lush fur and loads of feminine flair.

SOFT COLOUR: a statement made by Missoni, new hues which will surely be of influence in the near fashion future.

MASCULINE/FEMININE: Ferragamo played the masculine against the feminine wonderfully and we’ve seen more of these androgynous twists at Dolce & Gabana, Dsquared² and Sportmax.

SHINE: when it came to all the shiny surface effects, another BIG issue, Etro, the master of print, was one of the many designers who showed these artfully.

One last remark! Long lengths, extremely long, but still (we didn’t count) we’re sure Milan showed more knee then NY. We guess since most designers are referencing towards a more recent era.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam.

First View Milan FW2011: More Lace

There’s more lace to come from Milan! We spotted it in New York and London and got it confirmed now in Milan. Lace is a red thread linking collections, looks and styles.From cobwebby, embroidered, chunky to featherweight. Plasticized, coated, printed and sequined. From antique to high tech and modernistic.

In Milan, it was most of all used the authentic way. Pretty and lady like, refined Chantilly lace.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View Milan FW2011: Soft Color

The soft colors that popped up in Milan are definitely an opening towards a new spirit.

A fresh palette launched by Bottega Veneta, Missoni and Etro. Pale precious pastels. Not just soft in shades, also dimensional peach-touch fabrics with lots of knots, curls and pile. Candy coloured yet not that sweet, the unusual fabrics and wild combinations give this look a daring twist that makes us curious to see more of it next season.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View Milan FW2011: Shine

The Shine-theme is about all that shines, from metallic armors to shimmery diaphanous layers. Who thought we would be dipped in sobriety for another season was wrong. Though there are still restrained looks and  calm understatement plus loads of minimalistic shapes, some designers have clearly found a route to escape.

It is far easier to diversify and stand out in more expressive and new materials then when having to dig deep into total simple and soberness. So we welcome the sequins, high sheen silks, lurex metal shine and slick skin looks. Plus high tech coatings or big translucent scales layer plain colour and print.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View Milan FW2011: Mod Now

A modern Mod-look was clearly reminiscent and very much fashion on Milan runways. Prada was brave, prim and square cut, with strong statements in shades with a faint Marni flavor. Graphic details as contrasting trims, patterns, insets, and wide, low-slung belts. The dense and sculptural fabrics reminded us of 60’s Mod looks.

Alberta Ferretti softened her silhouettes with shimmery velvet legs. Where Prada dropped the waist, Max Mara contoured it. Worlds apart, yet showing clear common interest in bold statements.

This is definitely a look to watch; adult women dressed like dolls, yet definitely not to play with.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

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