spring rtw 2012 part 1

Following fall's lead, Spring '12's runway drew hefty inspiration from the smoky, raw energy of black and white movies.  While some designers featured the ubiquitous Spring palette of bright pinks and blues, many chose to forgo the scintillating hues in favor of more subdued tones, which took their stylish cues from subtle (and artfully placed) sequins or beading. 

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac

Peter Som

Hakaan

Featuring a vibe that  was distinctly Jackie O. rather than Jefferson Airplane, many designers' collections departed from the boheme trend of last year, moving towards structured, clean silhouettes.

Lanvin !!!! (Never disappoints)

Gucci 

(a side note to Gucci-- to be honest your models in this show scared us a little.  Maybe its the combination of those bronzer-less tans with that  slightly harsh eye makeup that did it?  We understand that Italian couture is on an icy mountain  much higher than us lowly proletariat, but perhaps the elevation is getting to your head?)

Although Lanvin rarely strays from its phenomenal formula, many designers seemed eager to revamp the 60's trend with a, shall we say, domineering edge.

Nina Ricci

A more subdued take on bondage by Herve Leger

Alexander McQueen

(In my opinion, possibly  a slightly less scary/classier alternative next time the reigning Gaga wants to don lace?)

More to come, but homework is calling

-cat