Pre-Fall 12: BCBG

 

BCBG's Pre-Fall collection combines bold color-block prints with lace, leather, pleats and sheers.  The result is sophisticated, sometimes Bohemian, with a cool dash of toughness.

Spring 12 | Suno Sneakers

Come next Spring, you can rock these super cute Suno sneakers in comfort and style!

Urban Nomad

Pre-Fall 11: Preen, Sonia Rykiel (x2)

from: the Sartorialist, german label Boessert Schorn, vintage outfit from ShopYoVintage.com

If you're in New York right now, the 12 degree weather can get depressing after a while. The urban nomad look is all about layering and finding comfort in even the most extreme circumstances. Throw in some color like the girl in Seoul found by the Sartorialist, and maybe you can beat the winter blues.

Pre-Fall 2011: Missoni

Missoni, background: Pattern People

Missoni's pre-fall 11 collection is all mod, from bellbottoms to sweater knits to knee socks and clogs. Colors tend heavily toward bright reds and blues with doses of neutral. Check out their video too!

Structural Trompe L'oeil

Anne Marie Skjoldager is a Danish-born designers who has interned with Bernhard Willhelm and John Galliano, and is currently finishing her schooling in Paris. We found these 3-D trompe l'oeil designs interesting for their architectural qualities, and though these look more conceptual than practical, something about the sillouettes feels very wearable.

Art: Guerra de la Paz

Miami artists Alain Guerra and Neraldo de la Paz create sculptures out of their own discarded clothes and thrift store finds. The resulting bodies, nests and colorful piles allude to the people that previously wore the clothing, and to the collective mound of discarded clothing that continues to build up mass in the world.

Resort 11: Stripes

Suno, Twinkle, Hanii Y, Missoni, Tory Burch

Suno, Naeem Khan, Twinkle, Suno, Diane Von Furstenberg, Proenza Schouler

Stripes big and small dominate the Resort 11 collections.

Resort 11: Textures

Doo.Ri, Suno, Hanii Y, Twinkle, Balenciaga, Yigal Azrouël, Marc by Marc Jacobs. background: Pattern People

On the Resort 11 runways, one of the biggest trends we're seeing is a prevalance of small-scale textures with hints of floral or scenic imagery. It's a nice abstracted update to the ditsy florals that have been all over women's wear and accessories for the last few seasons.

INSPIRATION: PATTERNITY

Patternity is a pattern resource center out of East London. They create a line of products with clean geometric patterns, and inspire the masses with pattern-related photos and image.

African Inspiration

Roped chair by Rodrigo Almeida, Binta Armchair by Moroso at ICFF Intense African Decor

left: Boxing Kitty Fall 09 Line, Wafrica’s cross-cultural clothing line is comprised of traditional Japanese kimonos made from African fabrics.

Dramatic African textile by Vlisco

African vibrations are felt in home and fashion. At ICFF this week, the cultural exhibition is "Intense African Decor" and features African-inspired interior products such as the chairs above. In fashion, Boxing Kitty, Wafrica, and Vlisco textile company all feature African fabrics. Also see this post about the Spring 10 collections of Issey Miyake, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Givenchy, Eley Kishimoto, and Suno.

Spring 10: Japan Fashion Week: Geos

Mint Designs, Matohu, Mint Designs, Matohu, Tiny Dinosaur

Matohu
Japan fashion week is a sea of inspiration. Geos from Matohu and others look new but familiar, and the cuts and drapes are impeccable.

Spring 10: Japan Fashion Week: Florals

Somarta, Yuma Koshino, Dress 33, Yuki Torii, Somarta
Japan's fashion week looked to be on a caliber all its' own. Beautiful prints, gorgeous cuts, and soft sillouhettes dominated. Giant head adornments were prevalent as well. The florals seen above seemed to tie back to the floral trends happening all over. Cabbage roses, soft smudgy textures, and ditsies.

Spring 10: Tie Dye

Cynthia Rowley, L.A.M.B, Blumarine, Helmut Lang, Lela Rose, Ports 1961
Tie dye and dip dye are all the rage right now, on runways and in retail, and luckily it's easy to reproduce the look at home. I've been doing some dip dying and "twist" dying myself, with a jar of black rit and some Hanes t-shirts. Check out photos and instructions from my last tie dye session on Pattern People's blog. --Claudia

Spring 10: Tripping Out

Alexander McQueen

Basso and Brooke, Mary Katrantzou, Basso and Brooke, Nicole Miller. Background: Pattern People
Woah! Did somebody spike the water supply in London? Some of our favorite print designers are on a serious acid trip. Of course, McQueen's show was an insane event of epic proportions. Basso and Brooke and Mary Katrantzou had similar print stories to one another, with swirls and space ship lights whizzing around. At some points, as above, the prints could have come from the same designer. Nicole Miller must have caught the transmission in New York as she adorned her dresses with cosmological placement prints.

Spring 10: Pattern Overload!

Duro Olowu (x2), Eley Kishimoto, Dries Van Noten

Rodarte, Louis Vuitton, Paul Smith, Wunderkind, Issey Miyake
For those of us that love pattern, it's fun to see layers of draped cloth oozing with different prints but living together in harmony. Wearing different patterns together takes some skill and usually creates one of three effects: earth mama of the world, crazy lady, or torn up goth after a night of casting spells.

Spring 10: Conversationals

Miu Miu, Prada, Giles, Karen Walker, Holly Fulton
Miu Miu explored the tension between innocence and sexual knowledge, with images of kitty cats, birds, apples, and naked men on preppy school girl outfits. Miuccia then took a light and literal approach to the Prada line with photographic, tonal beach scenes.

The concept for Karen Walker's line was inspired by a movie called "The Prisoner," in which former spies are inprisoned on an island. The idea is, Holiday for prisoners. Lots of nautical stripes and maritime flags adorned the line.

Holly Fulton was the shining star of Fashion East's presentation. Prints and appliques of skyscrapers created a very original and forward look to her simple dresses.

Spring 10: Geometrics

Jonathan Saunders, Nicole Farhi, Karen Walker, Eley Kishimoto, Issey Miyake.
Background: Pattern People

Mary Katrantzou, Eley Kishimoto, Kenzo, Matthew Williamson, PPQ,
Background: Pattern People
The geometrics were very interesting this season, some inspired by Africa and Morocco, some with a 60's look, and others with an active-wear feel.

Spring 10: The State of Florals

Matthew Williamson, Duro Olowu, DKNY, Gaspard Yurkievich, Cynthia Rowley

Issa, Eley Kishimoto, Maurizio Pecararo, Eley Kishimoto, United Bamboo

Rebbekah Taylor, Roberto Cavalli, Christian Dior, Stella McCartney, Richard Chai
The Spring 10 shows had varying takes on the floral; from starkly graphic, to soft and smudgy, to tiny and sweet. Our favorites were Christian Dior's sexy use of the ditsy, Cynthia Rowley's smokey gorgeous florals, Eley Kishimoto's graphic flowers, and Maurizio Pecararos's pastel cut-outs.