First View Paris Womenswear FW2012: Hard & Slick

One more spot on power and hard-edge construction. Just to express the importance of this influence. Not to be pampered and cuddled in crisis. Women stand up and seem ready to fight. That is at least what designers suggest. Ready to march the battlefields. Dominatrix and fetishist and at the same time precious, upscale, ultra feminine and glamorous. From wasp-waisted x-shapes to rounded cape like sculptural silhouettes. Satin sheen, polished high gloss as well as slick. In leather, lacquer, chain mail and bonded satins. Metal, fur and rubber details. Creating looks with an almost sacral seriousness. Strict and severe and addressing the archetypal human need for religion as Gareth Pugh stated.

Monumental shaping is perfectly executed by Yves Saint Laurent, heavenly tailored by Viktor & Rolf, futuristic textured by Laurent, and it is hard to figure out if the look of Givenchy is monastic or vampire. It is an expression of utmost luxury.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

First View Paris Womenswear FW2012: Fierce

Ferocious, brave, powerful and slightly provocative. Clearly a ‘so what, don’t mess with me’, attitude. An expression of exalted womanliness in a stunning range of fierce brights is headed by Lanvin.

A generous emphasis on the curves, hourglass silhouettes and flared frocks that flow from the hips. Silhouettes are rounded, curvaceous and body enhancing. Nothing sweet about these dresses and suits though. Graphic cut outs, chunky mesh and lace layers and inserts, sculptural ruffles, flounces and peplums combined with bare or rounded exaggerated shoulder parts.

Lanvin excels in intense, delicious colors in a quest to reshape women. Yohji Yamamoto goes for contrast in streetwise silhouettes where he wraps models in red jerseys wearing flat combat boots. Balenciaga adds a surrealist touch to a traditional evening wear silhouette, sculpted it in futuristic fabrics. Mugler stays close to its roots staging super heroines shoulders and a body-loving cut.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View Paris Womenswear FW2012: Pastel Beauty

As Suzy Menkes questions in the NY Times: ‘Is it inevitable in a time of economic depression that fashion takes a backward look at similar moments in past? So much has changed that it is a designer’s tough task to make references relevant.’

Historic Dior, the New Look, hit the runway. Faultless collections, as icons of couture craftsmanship in impeccable tailoring, express lightness in a tender palette of soft powder-pinks. The focus is on the waist and skirts are full or flared and over-the-knee, in chiffons, silks and layers of tulle. Less exquisite and full-blown as in the 40s, making place for a contemporary, stripped-down urban sense of luxury and soft modernity, yet still ultimately recognizable.

Roland Mouret shows smart sculpted peplum silhouettes with a lady like elegance, Nina Ricci’s designer Peter Copping did find the right twist to turn the historic into the contemporary. Barbara Bui entered a more free-flowing craft aspect in a skin shaded sensual silhouette, where Bill Gaytten stays closest to the Dior heritage without obviously taking a 21^st century turn.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View Paris Womenswear FW2012: Sci Fi Today

The fantastic futurist, Nicolas Ghesquière, revived and reinforced his ever-innovative message. This did not confirm yet the Parisian position as stage for the pioneering and the extreme. Designers seem to stick to their personal profiles rather then wanting to push fashion forward. Balenciaga’s surreal source of inspiration, corporate life, brought him on track of power dressing reminiscent of 70s and 80s. Futurist dressing where challenging proportions team up with not less challenging materials. Bonded fabrics that build exaggerated silhouettes.

Where Milan went for beauty Paris went for power, staging super-heroines, priestesses of techno cult and battle girls.

Balenciaga showed satin sweatshirts with spacey slogans and sci-fi prints as well as flimsy featherweight dresses combining constructing textures creating star war princess looks. At Mugler the historical oeuvre was studied carefully. Super-heroine shoulders in contouring body gloves as well as peplum silhouettes. Gareth Pugh showed rather mutant force then Girl Power in funnel necks jackets with spiked shoulders,

We feel the longing for revolution, the need for groundbreaking novelty. But still the nearest road towards that seems to lead via the past.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

First View Milan Womenswear FW2012: Techno Forward

 

Show reports told us that Ennio Capasa of C’N’C Costume National had “imagined a woman in a virtual metropolis” who is “post-punk, post-chic but above all technological.”

It seems to cover the choice of many: Fabrics, like extra shiny, slick patent leather, seemed to take priority over flattering
fit, as robust outerwear came in boxy shapes with diagonal zippers. It was futuristic and powerful. Uniforms inspire, which shows in mechanical straight lines, Bauhaus minimalism and military and naval tailoring.

Fendi shows harness belts combined with silky sleek tops and flared plisse. C’N’C Costume National shows two girls zipped in square cut shapes combining the high gloss with the soft touch. Where Sportmax was obviously
inspired by the uniform of martial arts: Karate, judo and other elegantly dressed forms of fighting.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View Milan Womenswear FW2012: Sharp & Graphic

Pleasure and having a good time was the lead team for some of the designers in Milan this week. It translated itself in a series of glorious graphics and optimistic vibrancy. All had their reasons to come up with the full dose of color, black and white contrast and sharp metallics. The mood ranged from Rock Chick rebellion to retro reminiscence and faint memories of Robocop and Blade runner. Clearly this was not just about having fun. It was serious couture craftsmanship and a minute interest in shape and detail. We saw geometric print, graphic straight-line cutting and embellishment. Next to positively shining metallics, iridescence, shining foils, plasticised embroideries and holographic surfaces.

At Prada the pants made the story, but it was the embroidery in all its glassy glamor that brought an extra dimension to this powerful show, Versace showed some robotic retro futurism, where Moschino threw a parade with cheerleader skirts and uniform jackets, Prada again played with daring color harmonies in optical patterns and Blumarine staged (as well as Fendi) funkiest and artistic furs painted in more than bright colors.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View Milan Womenswear FW2012: Dark Vision

Beauty and confidence are what designers wish for their models to spread in Milan.  ‘Importance’ being a more significant message for women then mere ‘power’ as Miuccia Prada stated. And that is what we recognize. Dark glamor in various signatures ranging from soft ‘Goth’ to dark romance and reminiscent opulence. The future is taking refuge in the past and historical icons are wonderfully mutated in futuristic executions. The mood is stern yet the detailing rich and affluent. The spirit dark but generating pleasure rather then gloom. Love for materials is translated into embroidered and bejeweled aspects, laser cut lace effects and lots leather and lush velvets.

Prada shows virtual princes, avatars of fashions digital age – where Etro frames its iconic patterns in androgynous sculptural tailoring, Versace taps into a more sacral and medieval inspiration adding armors, chain-mail and crucifixes. Gucci mutates menswear into fluid classical drama with a smooth pre-Raphaelite twist.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

First View New York FW2012: Sculptural

Here we sure have a silhouet statement for the season. Sculptural minimalism in dense wool. Luxurious layers of wool, double face or bonded materials, cut, folded and wrapped. New volumes curved and cut away from the body. Rounded shoulders, peplum jackets with wrap, pleat or belted waists.

A novel boldness that shows precision in tailoring, luxurious fabrics and a love for architectonic constructions.  Peter Som shows felt type wrap coats with linebacker shoulders, Thom Browne gloomy, monolithic sculptures with some intricate tailored details, Narcissi Rodriguez goes crisp and neat avoiding unnecessary details and concentrating on the perfect cut, where Ports 1961, shows a strong bold silhouette in interesting textured materials.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

First View New York FW2012: Oversized

Contours are moving away from the body. Silhouettes rely heavily on the look of seventies American Sportswear. Belted trenches, wide-legged jersey trousers and midi-length dresses. Wide shouldered blouses and bold masculine dress coats with long lapels. Technical parkas and super size rounded sweaters. We recognize David Bowie reflections in broad padded shoulders and zipper closures in almost any garment. Pants are huge and chimney legged and skirts are full, flared, pleated or slitted.

Proenza Schouler translates this look into iconic statements: boyfriends’ jackets in massive volumes, which make the women inside ever so tiny, skinny and lovely. Donna Karan alternates her dressed-up Marlène looks with wide sports coats, Marc by Marc Jacobs shows flared full skirts where Philip Lim translates masculine parameters into sensual feminine sportswear.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

First View New York FW2012: Nomads

A walk on the wild side shows us a myriad of decorative textures, contrasting layers, lovely decorations and a free flow of cultural heritage.

In the Year of the Dragon, global travellers pick up the local and turn it into a lovely metropolitan mash-up. A nomadic lifestyle is reflected in a rich layering of elaborate items. Most headed East for inspiration that reflects in a warm lava and volcanic colour palette combined with gold and copper. Cosy wraps and roomy, up scaled jackets show an interesting combination of urban glam and relaxed in some cases even cuddly comfort.

Rag & Bone masterfully mixes the 70s flavoured bohemian spirit with cool urban design, Edun confirms its favour of crafts and decoration, where Proenza Schouler realises an interesting study of eastern artisanship and kimono shaping.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

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