Runway Reviews: Fashion Week Fall 2012 (Part I)

I’ll have you know that my mind is well set on spring and caramel macchiato tans. But in the spirit of high fashion, let us all be somewhere else, far into next year. It’s all part of the game—always stay a step ahead of you want to win.

“As I waited, I flicked through a magazine (I’ve inherited Mum’s anxiety about looking ‘at a loose end’). It had the next month’s date on the cover and I remembered you laughing at time-travelling fashion mags, saying the date on the cover should alert people to their absurdity inside.”

—Lupton, Rosamund Sister (London, 2010) p121

Food for thought. On to part I of my favorites…

Angel Sanchez

Yet another designer name that escaped my radar until I took to browsing Elle Runway as a much deserved study break. The combination of a striking color palette with a well-tailored silhouette made more than a few pieces reminiscent of  Calvin Klein. Juxtaposition of structure with movement was well executed; straight-edge lines were softened with curve-friendly cuts and fabrics. While the collection is quite simple—similar to the minimalist Calvin Klein—there was just enough detail to create dimension in the clothing without removing the focal point from the silhouette and the woman herself. Bits of sequins were more so elegant than opulent—it was their placement on the bodice of the first dress which kept me intrigued by the designer’s vision. Strategic cutouts were made demure and appropriate, surprisingly: the effect was demure, showing just hints of skin in the most nonchalant way.

I can’t get the last dress out of my mind…

Antonio Berardi

Prohibit Prohibition, I say! The Berardi woman of upcoming fall is the 1920’s woman—the infamous, archetypal flapper—influenced by the gangster crime lords, molded into the modern feminist. A boyish bowl cut to emphasize the strength of jawlines and cheekbones and rebel against the long locks women can never seem to part with. I’m not particularly attached to my hair, but after nearly two decades of long hair, I can only dream of the freedom it would offer. Little to no maintenance, no distractions…

But we’re not here to discuss the pros and cons of short hair.

Androgyny‘s always been something on my mind. The idea of it is quite romantic, actually, and is always a constant school of debate in feminism. But collecting photos of Marlene Dietrich in her le smoking over the past few months has had be yearning to invest in an actual tux. Not shapeless, just not form-fitting (as I’m so oft to gravitate towards). There’s structure that emphasizes not the curves, but the lines—the shoulders, the arms, the length of your body. Not your body, but your being in all its glory. Columns of height, no distraction.

 I loved this collection. Uncharacteristic, perhaps, given my usual fawning over midi pencil skirts, floaty, semi-sheer blouses, tiny waists courtesy of Alaïa waist belts and body conscious dresses (it’s a pity certain celebrities—ahem—have ruined the Hervé Léger cocktail dress for most… still love it, I’m a stubborn one!). But I love it. The all-business (note, not “masculine”) pantsuit, the perfect corporate dresses, the black and white and pop of blood orange.

More on androgyny, toute de suite.

Barbara Bui

I’ve loved the designer since her collaboration of sassy little prints with Topshop years ago. This season (and the past few) have been very Balmain meets Isabel Marant. I think the above pictures speak for themselves: the first outfit—the blouse in particular—is perfection. Nothing overtly sexy but still manages to ooze sensuality; I looove when clothing can do that. Paired with a tailored pant and those pointed pumps (!)? The perfect ensemble for an important meeting. The baseball jacket, first brought back by Isabel Marant, makes an appearance in a military green; and while I’m not a fan of its bulky shape, it’s bound to be an arising trend.

There was nothing spectacular about the color palette, but the loyalty to the key, autumnal neutrals can be appreciated. The clothing was lovely, but again, nothing spectacular. But what Barbara Bui always manages to excel in is the accessories: the bags and shoes are worth the double take themselves. The boots. Those pumps. That bucket bag—perfect for slinging across the shoulder for summer coffee runs to bookshops to dance classes at night—makes me swoon. Loving that 70s bohemian look once summer inches closer…

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