Summary: For as far back as any of us can remember, the Elie Tahari name has been synonymous with a modern, feminine look, often in suiting. His trenches, blouses and pencil skirts have always blended seamlessly to create one cohesive look and, after all these years, he’s still doing it. For spring ’12, Tahari took cues from both the rich fabrics and textures of ancient Egypt, as well as the “elongated hour-glass silhouettes” of the early 20th century in preparing his sleek and modern shapes of the season.
The collection started out in crisp whites and tans with metallic accents. Jacquard blazers and raffia jackets were long and lean, as were the silk pants and plisse blouses. The easy pairings gave way to more complicated layering when clean, cloudy blues took over with a dash of snakeskin and feathers. Tahari created tone on tone pairings by exploring various shades of blue in each ensemble, and even through in a little denim under the flowing silk vests and tunics. After the cooling sensation of blue, Tahari heated things up again with spicy jolts of tangerine, peach and coral accented with hand braided leather and more gilded hardware. Again a mixture of tones within the palette was apparent, but never in dissonance with each other.
The final looks glided down the runway in jet black with geometric cutouts and spliced chiffon panels. These looks conjured the most images of ancient Egypt due to their structure and regal flair, as well as the royal gold showing up again on belts, straps and sandals. Each vignette within the collection was unique, yet still seemed a part of a greater whole. The pieces were all subtle, yet displayed brilliant craftsmanship down to each delicate detail, a testament to why Tahari will continue to outfit powerful and glamorous women for years to come.
Summary: This year Gap lost its creative director, Patrick Robinson, who left in May. Since then the company has been in a transitional period, design-wise, while engaged in their search for a new designer. Quintessentially known for their all-American basics and ever-classic appeal, Gap’s SS12 collection breaks no boundaries in terms of conceptual design, but it does deliver a product that stays true to the company’s mission while incorporating a chosen set of trend-driven details that keep it looking modern and chic.
A favorite piece from this collection is the super bright denim leggings, shown at the presentation in aqua. Here , we see a very classic Gap knit enhanced by the pop of color and addition of a great open-toe heel (another foray into which they company has been successful: the incorporation of designer shoes into their store-ready product base). The oversized pleated knee-length denim skirt and slouchy boat necked grey and blue knit sweater also explore a modern shape for pieces made from the line’s most classic fabrics. The trousers all look chic and thoughtfully cut — I’m especially thrilled by the slight drop-crotch in the third look pictured above. The harem pant, and variations thereof, is still in its moment, and it’s nice to see Gap acknowledging the trend and tailoring it to its own aesthetic.
All in all, is the collection groundbreaking? No. But does it show that Gap is committed to working through this moment and maintaining their place as the world’s go-to for American basics? Yes. As always, the tailoring is very chic, and the proportions of each look — as well as in the individual pieces — are on point. It would have been nice to see some of the looks incorporate a more saturated color palate, but there are definitely some great pieces in this collection that will surely tide us over as we wait for Gap’s new regime to take over.
Colors: Bone, light grey, pale mauve, khaki, dark denim, stonewashed denim, blue-grey, orange, red, white, plum, pale pink, aqua, fuchsia, grey, brown
Key Looks: Aqua stretch denim leggings with and ivory long-sleeve knit sweater, a white leather tote bag and orange and blue draped scarf; knee-length pleated denim skirt with a brown leather belt, slouchy blue and grey boat-necked sweater, and ivory sandals with purple ankle ties; light mauve ankle-length cuffed skinny trousers with a white crew-necked tee and dark khaki short-waisted jacket with an orange leather tote bag.
Summary:Milly by Michelle Smith brings all the brights for her Spring ’12 collection. Cobalts, hot pinks, and red-oranges lit up the runway in colors and shapes that are sure to excite. “My Milly Spring 2012 collection is modern and geometric both in cut and print, softened by earthy materials such as wood and tortoise resin,” explained Smith. “The saturated hues are vibrant and exciting, inspired by Sonia Delaunay’s brilliant use of color and line.”
Witty and erudite, the Milly girl has more of a studious and refined look this season. Drawing print and color inspiration from Sonia Delaunay, Smith delivers a collection that is bold and geometric in nature. Graphic zig-zag, rectangle and stripe motifs accent clean, linear silhouettes, and create a sense of movement in the collection. This is *the* color of the It Girl this season. Expect to see many starlets and 20-somethings copying these looks come springtime.
Summary: Stunning. There can be no other word that can truly sum up the feeling of the Spring 2012 collection of Chado Ralph Rucci. Despite being defined as an artist that takes “quantum leaps in both the quality and magnitude of his designs,” there was still a timeless feel to each piece. Execution played a major part in the collection, keeping with the theme of fluid sexuality and a hint of sophistication.
As one of the Second City Style editors put it, it is “absolutely criminal” that these pictures are unable to show the backs of the garments. Many pops of sequins, hints of skins and a multitude of colors were revealed as soon as the model turned the corner, thereby willing the crowd to gasp and applaud. The slight plastic insets were also a visual treat for the crowd, as they seemed to seamlessly flow with the fabric. The restraint of each piece completed this collection as a whole, kept each gown separate and from being overdone.
Key Looks: White faille moto cycyle jacket with plastic midriff and sleeve with white faille samantha pant; Nude cigaline and horsehair flounce dress; Printed gazar caftan
Summary: Upon first look of the dazzlingly neon tones at Nanette Lepore spring ’12 collection, one might think the highlighter-colored pieces were just a fun and flirty romp through next year’s summer seashores. But Lepore was far from leisure as her source of inspiration, having been moved by an art exhibition of U.S. Olympic athletes at the most recent Venice Biennale. As a tribute to some of the hardest working athletes in the world, Lepore incorporated more sportswear fabrics and silhouettes into the season such as windbreakers, pleated shorts and scuba dresses.
Of course, each piece still embodied Lepore’s signature touch of flirty femininity, as apparent in her lace overlays, full skirts and cut out maillots as in the technicolor palette of citrine, tangerine and hibiscus. Another signature element at Lepore’s show was her fusion of fashion and music, having picked for the season’s show the playful stylings of Sam Bisbee. Bisbee and his neon-clad band stood at the front of the runway and jangled out upbeat tunes as the collection’s soundtrack, causing Lepore herself to dance down the runway at the finale. The designer once again served up a fresh and friendly, upbeat vision for spring ’12 which I couldn’t help but smile at (and I admit, dance a little in my seat).
Summary: Designer Douglas Hannant’s inspiration for his SS12 collection was Shanghai in the thirties, partly due to the fact that he’s opening up a store there later this year. More than the styling, the exaggerated crimped hair styles and rich fabrics within his collection speak to this aesthetic, a contemporary version of his Chinese interests that is sure to work well on this side of the country.
There is a bit of discombobulation in the visual through-line of this collection, but Hannant has done an excellent job of producing a set of luxe looks that cover the visual gamut: from casual day, to business chic, to full-on evening gown. The Shanghai inspiration comes through in the dramatic presentation of the looks. A floor-length gown with a slit up the front and exaggerated shoulders with sheer ruffles excites, as does a very thirties-centric cocktail dress made from a sheer cornflower blue fabric with a feather-fringed skirt and printed gold panels throughout. Others of Hannant’s printed endeavors stand out awkwardly, feeling out of place among the other well-tailored garments which embrace a more chic, neutralized palate.
His work surely speaks to a more sophisticated clientele: the slim, chic businesswoman on the go. In a way, this bodes well for his international interests. After their incorporation into this collection, I look forward to seeing how his experiences abroad influence future collections.
Key Looks: Blue/grey sheer fringed cocktail dress with metallic embellishment and gold paneling; silk chiffon high-necked sheer blouse with white and grey checked print, high-waisted white pencil skirt and gold chain and leather belt; floor-length metallic black dress with a high slit up the front, deep v, and exaggerated shoulders with sheer folded pleats.
Earlier this year, we brought you the Vitaminwater Color Collection which inspired student all around the United States to design their own Vitaminwater inspired t-shirt. Ten finalists were brought to New York City during Fashion Week to unveil their designs and find out the winner!
Several designers including Eric Daman, Chris Benz, Richard Chai, creative director of ElleJoe Zee, stylist Lori Goldstein, and CFDA CEO Steven Kolb chose ten finalist to compete for a $5,000 grant to start their fashion career, as well as have their winning design sold on Fashion Vault eBay.
Congrats to winner Gauam Dutta of Savannah, GA! You can buy his design, as well as Vitaminwater inspired shirts from Vena Cava, Rag & Bone, Shipley & Halmos and man others at FashionVault.eBay.com!
Summary: If all other presentations looked the same this season, Norma Kamali‘s 3D presentation at Lincoln Center surely stood out. In the David Rubenstein Atrium right across the street, Kamali brought a bit of lively action to the early morning show. Walking in and hearing Imelda Day’s “All For You” blasting on the loudspeakers, brought the mood up in an instance.
Your first question might be, well, what exactly is a 3D presentation? Kamali had a video of women modeling her Spring 2012 collection and dancing to the song. With a slight twist (literally and figuratively) the movie was shown in old-school 3D fashion with the red and blue cat-eye glasses.
Models posing in their neon Kamali creation!
The models were dressed in retro styles of gold latex dresses, hot pink fringed pants and long-sleeved backless black sequined gowns and shimmied around each other on screen. Models were also on hand to show the neon laced bodysuits and dresses. It was a sight to see, especially for the legendary Kamali herself.
Norma Kamali taking a break to do the twist
Legendary designer Norma Kamali and me!
You can still view the video but in order to see it in 3D, make sure you visit NormaKamali3d.com for a pair of the 3D glasses!
Colors: black, hot pink, white, gold, mustard, bronze, aqua blue, yellow, nude, silver, tangerine
Key Looks: Sleeveless Grecian-style dress with bronzed belt; Black leather and latex jacket with fishtail and white jersey ruched mini-skirt; Studded long-sleeve crop top with knee-length studded skirt and matching leggings with studded cuffs
Summary: In a season that has been loaded with prints (sometimes to ad nauseum), it was a refreshing twist to see Narciso Rodriguez’s decidedly different approach to the springtime pattern play. The designer noted his inspiration had been taken from visual artist Kim Joon, whose bold and arguably bizarre pieces could have allowed Rodriguez to go really anywhere. What he did, however was toe the line between literal and figurative with a graphic, pop art collection that kept the audience guessing.
You could tell just from looking at the pieces that Rodriguez had fun with this collection, juggling out of box ideas on symmetry, pattern and dimension. There was a careful order to the chaos though, with pieces like structured jackets and tailored trousers reeling the collection in when the cacophony of pattern and color became overwhelming. There was a genius to the meticulous cuts of hemlines, asymmetrical but methodical, and the rampant color-blocking seemed designed with intent. Rodriguez seemed keen to show that everything had a purpose.
As a more subtle tribute to Joon, Rodriguez created off-kilter references to kimonos with delicate silk skirts punctuated with jigsaw-like swatches of color. He also seemed to consider the traditional appreciation of nature with a landscape palette of sea blues, cloud whites, and earthen red, orange and black. Jacquard gently spelled out wave patterns with velvet and devore made mountains and valleys with sheer, whispery layers. Overall, the vibe of the collection was innovative and cutting edge, and an accurate portrayal of the prowess of a true artiste.
Summary: This season it was clean as can be at Tibi. The lines, the palate, the movement — all speak to a no-frills collection that thrives on elegance and ease, a gorgeous color palate, and radiant fabrics that are inimitably chic.
When it comes to the separates, each of the blouses and tanks are cut fairly close to the body with enough subtle movement to keep them from being truly body-con, but not enough to detract from the sea of wide-legged pants: this collection’s true source of volume. Ultra wide and liquid smooth, the trousers came in various colors (cobalt, bright yellow and black, to name a few) and moved easily down the runway. A racer back pleated halter top gown and a few sheath dresses mix up the structural palate, working as looks that could be taken into the evening or a casual moment out with friends. The short-sleeved number with a front leather panel, sheer cobalt back and asymmetrical hemline is gorgeous — one of the few more urban pieces that kept the collection from looking altogether too similar.
Each look is very beautifully made, and the luxe fabrics embody a sensuousness that compliments the way the materials moved both on the runway and against the body. These are clothes that can make a woman feel sexy all on their own, no further accoutrements needed.
Colors: Black, white, green, golden yellow, cobalt, nude, pale grey, salmon, buttercup, mint, grey blue, peach
Fabrics and Textures: Silk, cotton, satin, chiffon, leather, jacquard, jersey, cotton silk blend, sheer, pleating, crepe de chine
Key Looks: Pleated halter-top white gown; silk nude tank top with bright yellow wide-legged palazzo pants; black leather dress with halter neck and sheer cobalt sleeves and back; black wide-legged palazzo pants and a slouchy bright yellow tank with a deep v-neck; low-slung golden yellow ankle-length pants with a matching silk boat neck top.
On Twitter
On Facebook
On Pinterest
On Youtube
Comments