JAC//STYLE

CTR SS12

The haute couture collections are the jewel in fashion’s crown— twice yearly, they form the crème-de-la-crème of what is possible for one’s wardrobe. This past week in Paris, a veritable parade of stunning gowns, intricately designed dresses and lovingly crafted ensembles made their way along hallowed runways, with particularly good offerings coming from Valentino, Alexis Mabille and Bouchra Jarrar.

Valentino, CTR SS12

Alexis Mabille, CTR SS12

Smart suits were shown alongside more profuse frocks at Chanel, which saw Karl Lagerfeld create a show that harked to the airline industry—there were, after all, one hundred and fifty shades of blue in the collection, and the whole set itself resembled an aircraft. The show featured a number of outfits that had different-than-usual shapes, seeing the Kaiser fly a little further away from his usual conformity and experiment perhaps more with a different silhouette.

Chanel, CTR SS12

Givenchy, CTR SS12

Riccardo Tisci’s presentation at Givenchy was, unfortunately, disappointing compared to his last, but the work that went in to his creations was undoubted: the ten gowns were a technical marvel, even if their somewhat darker aesthetic seemed a little lost. Elie Saab’s show was pastel-perfect, with the collection encompassing dresses of varying length and extravagance in a way that has become synonymous with the designer.

Armani Privé, CTR SS12

An honourable mention should go to Giorgio Armani, who, at his Privé show, continued with a futuristic element with mesh and crocodile. Splashes of neon and a contrast in his colours helped the collection come together. Jean Paul Gaultier created controversy after his show referenced the late, great Amy Winehouse, showing beehive-d models in every shade of the rainbow, kitted out in outfits that ranged from grungy to just plain cheeky.

Jean Paul Gaultier, CTR SS12

Overall, this season was another wave of brilliant on the couture catwalks— the shows may, its true, be only for a small, chosen elite, but we can still all marvel in these truly wonderful creations.  

RTW SS12: Less is More

If you’re the sort of person who prefers to wear an ordered, more sober ensemble in your day-to-day life, rest assured that the Spring shows were not just a maze of clashing brights, headache-inducing prints and complicated shapes: the order of the day, at some houses, was minimalism, minimalism and minimalism. MaxMara, available at Harrods, was strong in presenting the label’s clean aesthetic through restrained pieces, the best of which included flattering jackets and simple dresses.

MaxMara, RTW SS12

MaxMara, RTW SS12

Another label which one can rely upon to produce sincere, subdued clothing that is still both beautiful and timeless is Chloé. In Claire Waight Keller’s first collection for the label, the house showed attractive pieces that were utterly sublime: the calm palette of whites, creams and dusty pinks- as well as pops of colour along the way- hosted clothes that were both breezy and enviable. The best pieces were those that were embroidered with flowers- an interesting choice for Chloé, whose designs usually stick to minimal embellishment. Buy at Net-a-Porter or at Selfridges.

Chloé, RTW SS12

Chloé, RTW SS12

RTW SS12: The Power of Print!

A veritable tornado swept across London, Paris, Milan and New York at the Spring shows, bringing with it winds of animal print, multi-coloured stripes and dizzying florals. Every house from Acne to Wang was blustered with motif, and this particular writer, for one, is pleased! Wearing a print is one way of making an outfit more outrageous, or more refined- the possibilities are endless. Here are a few of the best from the international collections, and scroll down to see where you can get your hands on some of these pattern-perfect garments!

Jil Sander RTW SS12

Proenza Schouler RTW SS12

Prada RTW SS12

Uma Thurman wears Louis Vuitton RTW SS12

Burberry Prorsum RTW SS12

Shop the printed delights of Miu Miu, Bottega Veneta and Yves Saint Laurent at the one-stop shop for luxury retail online, Net-a-Porter. On the high-street, Topshop is having fun with Hawaiian florals, and Forever 21 are taking a leaf out of Mondrian’s book. Experiment!

Leather Jackets from SS12

Over the next few months, more and more people will embrace the changing season and resort to their trusty leather jackets for chic protection from the varying weather. They are ideal in periods of transition, and can be the perfect option when it’s still too cold to venture out in just a blazer, and too bright for your already-hibernating winter coat. Luckily, there are some stylish choices from the international collections to choose from—

D&G RTW SS12 at Harrods, £975

Muubaa RTW SS12 at Liberty, £285

Mulberry RTW SS12 at Selfridges, £595

Alexander McQueen RTW SS12 at Net-a-Porter, £2,795

Helmut Lang PF12

One might feel a chill when one peruses Helmut Lang’s latest presentation for Pre-Fall. The Colovos design duo has crafted a collection that, while in tune with the house’s trademarks of both simplicity and quality, darkens the label’s aesthetic a little. Spider webs were, after all, the inspiration that led the couple in their inspirations while forming the collection, and one doesn’t have to look too far to see how.

From severe-yet-sensuous trouser suits to complex, multi-texture draping, the show encompassed much of what Helmut Lang was about: the black leather and the strong jackets were a key component of the collection, and the stonewash in some of the fabrics—as well as the use of sheer— brought an apocalyptic air to the show. This felt right, though, and several different coloured prints and a splash of popping pales helped to draw the whole thing together.

Can’t wait to inject some of this moody atmosphere into your wardrobe? Why not try BDG at Urban Outfitters, who have created a great pair of died denim jeans. Also appropriate would be this leather jacket, by Rick Owens. Helmut Lang is stocked, however, at Liberty.