The invitation to my favourite S/S 12 show.
This season`s breathtaking location was Arco della Pace in Milano.
Roman fashion in marble
Courtney Love attended wearing Roberto Cavalli
Great style outside the show: leather, flowers and Givenchy wedges
The show`s attendees were a stylish fashion crowd in trendy, feminine looks highlighted with luxury accessories
The difference between the outside and the inside couldn`t have been more extreme. On the outside the venue was a classicistic monument in warm sunshine. The inside was made to look like a black industrial hall with pink and red lightening. "Caged" chandeliers were installed over the runway.
The view from my seat in row six.
The show was DRAMA, BABY!
The models were walking to a soundtrack of heavy drums, Giorgio Moroder`s melancholic 'Love Theme' (Flashdance soundtrack) and goth rock by The Sisters of Mercy ('Ribbons').
I perceived the dramatic atmosphere as a suitable depiction of the difficulties we face in today`s world but the Cavalli woman faces it with confidence, strenght and beauty. This attitude perfectly reflects my state of mind!
The meeting between the linearity and perfection of the Bauhaus-inspired outerwear, the Baroque lavishness of the dresses and the mini-skirts determines the silhouette of the collection.
The S/S 12 show sees the debut of the ‘Florence’ bag, created as a gesture of the designer’s love for his city. Square shapes, in crocodile, nude or black, with double handles and golden metal macro padlock, engraved with a snake scale effect.
The collection features lots of precious eveningwear, composed of silk tulle dresses, embroidered with sumptuous motifs and decoration.
The leather is an expression of pure Florentine artisanship: jackets and trousers created in combinations of python and crocodile, enriched with stitching, inlays, and tone-on-tone paillette embroidery.
The long dresses follow the line of the body, with printed mousseline inlays and lace, enriched with precious embroidery applied along the sides, and paired with sartorial jackets or a slim-fitting gilet with padded shoulders.
Skirts in silk plissés with floral prints open with the movement of the body, revealing a contrasting animalier print, expressing the hidden side of the Cavalli woman‘s personality.
Opulent gold, either as a highlight or all over, is a major theme of the collection.
I even walked the runway! Ok, after the show :)
My own pictures. Creative Commons license: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).
Pictures 4 and 14-17 are property of Roberto Cavalli.
The show was amazing! I love this sophisticated, feminine collection with its fine materials, flowing shapes and luxurious decorations. It was about time opulence, decoration and fine artisanship returned to fashion - in summer collections too!
What do you like best about Roberto Cavalli S/S 12?
My invitation
Moodboard
Sketches
A sophisticated combination of rainbow spanning warm hues - deep magenta and cardinal red to joyful pink and sun-kissed orange - and an exploration of cool colors - cobalt blue and teal turquoise interspersed with lightning bolts of dark violet or the calming, neutral tones of khaki, lemon yellow and gold.
Naturally chic in clothes that favour drapes, knots and torchons, she wears long, shoulder-less or single shoulder dresses, sometimes tied at the neck with the nonchalance of a pareu, and caressed by the soft fluidity of silk twill and printed chiffon. Her sense of style is eclectic and refined, combining amphora trousers in silky fabrics, detailed with a torchon at the waist, and complimented by a voluminous top baring 3D animalier embroidery in the form of tiny baguettes. She wears masculine tailored jackets with a dazzling micro-sequinned top or with lacquered knitwear, creating a sophisticated flow of movement. In the evening, she shifts from the voluminous consistency of lurex crochet dresses adorned with chain applications to laminated chiffon styles that slide against the body like molten metal, showing glimpses of bare skin.
The luxurious sensuality of gold is the leitmotif of this collection. On her feet, an arabesque-like interweaving of strips of prestigious leather recalls the constructions of some of Salvatore Ferragamo’s most famous creations. A grooved heel – from a 1935 archive model - or a sky high heel entirely wrapped in leather both confer timeless elegance on jewel toned sandals with gilt soles.
Stemming from an unique blend of contemporary allure and the culture of tradition, the collection exudes a sense of exclusiveness for the journey the Salvatore Ferragamo woman will embrace in Spring/Summer 2012.
Picture sources: first picture: my own. All others: courtesy of Ferragamo.
The strong red, purple and colour-blocking combined with cool 70s cuts and retro-elegance blew my mind! Definitly one of my fave S/S 12 collections.
How do you like the return of 70s glamour?
PS: Huge, exclusive backstage report to follow sunday!
My invitation
The venue
Left: Arizona Muse, right: Anna Dello Russo & Giovanna Battaglia front row
Pay attention to Anna`s and Giovanna`s lively conversation and how it evolves :)
Arizona and Abby Lee during the finale
Joan Smalls, Constance Jablonski, Bianca Balti & others
'The New Jazz Age'
For the Spring Summer 2012 season, Veronica Etro offers a clear return to elegance.
At its core, the collection has been distilled to essentials. The simplification of silhouettes and prints, however, takes on a new life with a touch of the modern Jazz Age, a theme that weaves its way around the collection in a subtle but consistent way.
Inspired by Futurist artist Fortunato Depero, Etro’s signature prints have been reduced to their most simple forms. The House paisley has been deconstructed until it resembles a broken collage. Stenciled florals and paisleys have a new modern look; geometrics are effortlessly folded into the mix, adding an exotic edge. An innovative new technique involves printing a fabric, then plisse pleating it, and then overprinting again to create burnt inky edges on the pleats. Also new this season: patterns have been strategically placed to emphasize the curves of the body, and black or white curved inserts break the visual space.
This season’s materials are silky and fluid, yet possess a weighty quality that gives them a more luxurious hand. Devoré, crêpe de Chine, silk and satin flow easily around the body and underscore a distinct femininity. Meanwhile, intricate stone or thread embroideries, and large tiled pailettes, showcase the capabilities of Etro’s exquisite workmanship. The fabrics are rendered in sorbet colors, like apricot, mint, raspberry, lemon, peach, cream and ice blue, mixed with harder pop colors like lime green or poppy orange. Black block trim cuts the softness.
The drop waist or no waist dress takes center stage in the collection. With trompe
l’oeil V fronts, halter necks, the dresses feature simple, yet unusual constructions.
Curved hems show off lower layers of silky fringe or printed plissé. Negative geometric space and strategic cut outs add a sportiness, while the sliced strips on the lower halves create a dance-like movement. The same loose, boxy shapes are applied to tops and skirts which appear to be one piece. Short shorts are made in compact knits, worn with printed silk shirts, long cardigans, kimono coats or tuxedo jackets.
Backstage
Make-up board S/S 12
The complete S/S 12 collection
Runway instructions
Daphne Groeneveld exiting the show
Constance Jablonski
My own pictures. Creative Commons license: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Pictures 13-17 are property of Etro and may not be used without permission of the copyright holder.
I LOVE the return of 1920s elegance! Amazing how fresh and modern it looks. Fantastic collection!
What do you like best about the show and Etro`s S/S 12 collection?
