Runway Reviews: Fashion Week Spring 2012 (Part I)

I love how spring and summer fashion comes in a wave of endorphins. Just pure, unadulterated happiness—all the result of  sun and color. It’s incredible how a simple equation yields such a change in energy; here’s to the power of positive dressing. Diane von Furstenberg once said color is orgasmic in an interview after a spring runway show years ago. It’s true. There’s an innate attraction to color because it radiates vitality and optimism; it’s impossible to ignore.

A proper kiss goodbye to cold, rainy days calls for pink sherbet and pretty patterns, lace & svelte silks. I’m thinking a celebration is in store; shall we invite Zara blouses, BCBG tops, Trina Turk & Vera Moda patterns, and crochet pieces to the party?

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agnès b.

A ready-to-wear collection done with the chutzpah of resort. Of course it’s part of the brand aesthetic—languid, effortless chic and French je ne sais quoi—but this vibe of warm-weather, jet-setting nonchalance stands out in a sea of runway collections showcasing more intentional styling. It’s refreshing. Laid-back and casual yet put together, as if a stylish girl threw the look together in a pinch with little to no thought. There’s no contrived element, just something organic.

I love a designer who understands the woman: agnès b. balances aspiration and wearability. My philosophy is simple: ready-to-wear should be ready to wear; if something is beautiful and fit only to be looked at or posed in, I render it not only impractical, but useless (it’s still appreciated, though!). agnès b. brings exactly that with his is a collection: it takes a lady from day to night, from work to the beach to a lazy Sunday.

There was enough humor—an ensemble that looked as though it paid homage to Le Petit Prince —that provided an artistic interpretation of comic relief. There was elegance, there was edge, there was classic, there was color. The color was done through incredible blocking of summer brights that makes the concept of clashing hues chic.

Nothing ostentatious was needed to exude ideals of wanderlust. Simplicity is everything, and less is always more.

BURBERRY PRORSUM

I have the utmost respect for chief creative officer Christopher Bailey. Everything he has done for Burberry Prorsum—from collections to ad campaigns—have been genius. Never does he lose sight of the brand; every runway show remains true to Burberry’s heritage. While Burberry is always a favorite every season, I cannot help but say with a twinge of guilt that I thought the past year and a half have been less exciting then his previous collections. I was left wanting and expecting more. I get the khakis, I get the metal hardware, I get the slouchy hats, but what else? 

It’s as if Bailey heard. He came back. Burberry came back. I’d go so far as to say it was one of Bailey’s most visually satisfying and emotionally satiating shows. Bailey re-grasped the concepts of modernity and edge he brought to the brand his first few seasons, and Burberry became impossibly cool again. It was everything: the cuts, the styling, the fresh makeup, the color palette.

Most prominent was the color palette. Autumnal colors in spring? Yes; it’s justifiable with the stunning peacock. Navy, gold, chocolate, ochre, hawthorne—these are the colors of the London spring, a combination of shades that offered intrigue amongst the  trending norm of neons and brights. And while I love color, there’s not a doubt that Burberry’s palette offers eternally classic and universally flattering pieces regardless of season and complexion. There was potential, there was something new; it was just warm and earthy and so incredibly cool, all at once.

Cool is the word to describe Burberry, if you haven’t already noticed.

I loved the return to feminine, hourglass-friendly silhouettes. Little details hinted at—rather than a literal reference as with most designer collections—the exotic ideal. There was an ode to textiles: fur collars, mixed material belts, graphic abstract prints, raffia/cotton weaves seemed inspired by the African textiles (I could be wrong, of course; I’m embarrassed at my sweeping generalization). Kind of crafty chic in a sense that brings back the personal touch and human element back into fashion.

KEVORK KILEDJIAN

This is a designer I’m new to. I’m enamored. Soft, feminine silhouettes in breathable fabrics—all done in an array of pretty prints and beautiful brights—Kevork Kiledjian’s collection pretty much embodies the very essence of spring and summer. Projected are notions of this dreamy, exotic destination, where days consist of sightseeing or languidly sunbathing by the ocean and nights constitute endless drinks and dancing. And yet there’s a certain practicality to this collection (at times when the sexy isn’t so overt):  these are dresses that are easy to wear. They don’t require much thought, just slip, adjust, and go.

A nearly neon, hot fuchsia seems to be the color of s/s 2012, be it in a solid dress or standout wallpaper print. I know I’ve given my two cents on the color pink before, but I’m warming up to it: specifically with this “it” color of the season. Newly added to my closet dresses is an H&M number in that exact shade. It’s gorgeous, if I may say so myself, and looks splendid with a tan.

But I digress. I wouldn’t say Kevork Kiledjian’s show was spectacularly special, per se, but in the spirit of spring, summer, and all things colorful, it hits the mood right on the spot.

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