Sharon Haver - FocusOnStyle.com Spring / Summer 2012 posts

Gucci Off The Runway, an Illustrated Look for Spring 2012

Gucci Spring/Summer 2012 look 1 by Michalis Christodoulou

Please welcome new FocusOnStyle Contributor Michalis Christodoulou and his discerning eye that captures the nuances of the runway through fashion illustration. -S.H. Gucci and Emilio Pucci were among my favourite Spring/Summer 2012 collections from Milan Fashion Week. My three illustrated looks are the ones I loved the most from the Gucci catwalk show. Frida Giannini for Gucci delivered a seriously glamorous, yet very wearable collection, a blend of twenties elegance and the strong feminine style of the Gucci woman. Dresses and tops were twenties-influenced, with boyish fit,and feminine pleated chiffon skirts, main colours being white, black, green and gold. My three illustrated looks are the ones I loved the most from the catwalk show. MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS Green and white tops with

Pierre Balmain Femme, Spring Summer 2012

Balmain is getting a less extravagantly priced sibling... Who can't resist Balmain, especially the cool French chic way Emmanuelle Alt can rock one of their jackets? But the prices?! Mon Dieu! Debuting this Sunday during Paris Fashion Week, Pierre Balmain, the new women’s and men’s collection with an "international, downtown cool style" created in partnership between Balmain Paris and Ittierre SpA. MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS Watch the first first instalment of the teaser for the film by Inez and Vinoodh, featuring model model Abbey Lee Kershaw with her band Our Mountain and their single “Devils Banquet;” the full version of the film will be will debut at the at the Pierre Balmain presentation on Sunday in Paris. Pierre Balmain, Spring/Summer 2012 Video: In their words... Inspired by

Leave it to London to really get the ball rolling when it comes to fantastical, covetable and overall completely original collections that are not only going to expand our must-have lists exponentially, but are also certain to inspire our sartorial wishes and desires for this upcoming season to come. Here's a look at our favorite collections from London for Spring/Summer 2012. MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS Christopher Kane Call it his most wearable collection to date if you may, but there was nothing saccharine nor overt about Christopher Kane's light femininity for Spring. Instead Kane, never one to compromise his sci-fi sensibilities, whipped up a dreamy, graphic alternative to the heavy floral summer dresses we've seen elsewhere this season. Frothy dresses covered

Watch the Prada Spring 2012 Fashion Show Video from Milan Fashion Week: COMPLETE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS More: Prada

Giorgio Armani spring 2012 fashion show finale

Watch Giorgio Armani Spring / Summer 2012 Women's Fashion Show video: MORE: Giorgio Armani and the Armani brand Photos of the Giorgio Armani Spring 2012 fashion show: [nggallery id26] In their words... Giorgio Armani Spring / Summer 2012 Nacrée Collection Milan Fashion Week The sheen of mother-of-pearl, the iridescence that transforms colours into watery reflections. Light that becomes shape, shape that is distilled into the purest lines. The more important the role of the fabric, the more conceptual the line of the garment. Defined, even beneath skirts and dresses, by wafer thin trousers with a slight slit at the front. The jackets, cut on the bias for greater fluidity and freed from collars and buttons, are fastened at the bust

Watch Emporio Armani Spring / Summer 2012 Women's Fashion Show video: Photos of the Emporio Armani Spring 2012 fashion show: [nggallery id25] MORE: Emporio Armani and Armani brand In their words... Emporio Armani spring / summer 2012 Milan Fashion Week NEODESIGN A game of colours that achieves a new and distinctive sense of depth. A contemplation on the significance of line, silhouette and graphics – elements that define the equation connecting substance and void. A reflection on the dialogue between fashion, current trends and contemporary artistic talent. SHAPE The jackets with their masculine cut glide over the body, the shoulders delicately suggested to soften the line. Dresses and skirts are longer;

MARNI Fashion Show Photos / Runway Collection Spring / Summer 2012 Milan Fashion Week More: Marni MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS Marni - Spring 2012 Fashion Show Photos during Milan Fashion Week: [nggallery id24] Peek at Marni in store now: More Marni... In their words... Innocence is put out of context in the Marni collection for S/S 12, creating a tension between instinct and control. The execution is graphic, the tone twisted. Pure, architectural shapes - top and skirt combinations, compact little jackets, pinafores - are contradicted by the unexpectedness of lengths, proportions and textures, suggesting a slightly-off take on demure and ladylike. The discourse is multisensorial: either printed, intensely embroidered or characterized by

Highlights from some of our favorite shows... MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS 3.1 Phillip Lim In a season where heavy handed prints have been the big story, 3.1 Phillip Lim's slouchy silks in sublime sorbet colors evoked a sporty ease and worked as a welcome urbane minded palette cleanser with a cool minimal, mellow edge. Taking a cue from sportif elements like track style vented pants made unexpected in languid silk, shorts layered over pants and slouchy full legged athletic shorts, the collection was a winner full of universal appeal and elegant pragmatism. His vivid pastels felt fresh and were a smart alternative to the hyper neons we've seen elsewhere and made a strong case for reserved elegance in a season where

Burberry Prorsum Spring Summer 2012 Womenswear Show Fashion Show Photos / Runway Collection Spring / Summer 2012 London Fashion Week MORE: BURBERRY View photos of the Burberry Spring 2012 runway show during London Fashion Week: [nggallery id23] Photos: Burberry

Runway Review Snippet... New York's charming prince of color & prints, Chris Benz, showed off his brilliantly quirky ode to fantastical Upper East Side eccentricity on the much talked about male model Andrej Pejic for a dizzying riff on infamous 60's cult icon Candy Darling. >> MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS Benz's collection shone alongside many of his print heavy peers thanks to a relaxed, slouchy silhouette and intense color choices that were played down by the kind of classic shapes women have been drawn to since that era. -- Naveed Hussain SHOP: What's in store now for Chris Benz at Shopbop

Runway Review Snippet... Platform brogues punctuated a youthful, tomboyish and relaxed spirit from an otherwise characteristically utilitarian outing from Jil Sander's secondary line, Jil Sander Navy. >> MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS While knife-pleated skirts and prim blouses made for a bulk of the collection, the real draw to the range came via a subversive and vaguely military ode to Girl Scouts and to uniform dressing as a whole. And just like Jil Sander's main line, there were plenty of smart separates with universal appeal and a slight jolt of the unexpected that were anything but timely to get you retooling your wardrobe. --Naveed Hussain SHOP Jill Sander Navy in store now: More Jil Sander...

Consisting of mostly body-conscious mini dresses with graphic cut-outs in an array of electrifying neons, Yigal Azrouel's Cut 25 presentation was somehow able to reach a more relaxed momentum than the kind of party-girl sexy his chosen range of silhouettes might suggest. And that's a good thing as we at FocusOnStyle have seen enough skin-tight body-con dressed open-toe bootied girls than we can bear. And thankfully by the looks of it, Azrouel has had enough too. >> MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS He was able to achieve this thanks to a clever play on relaxed sportif notes, graphic contrasting lines, acid pastels and alluring cool neutrals combined with unexpected techno-washed fabrics and multi-dimensional layering. His wood soled platform brogues and boots in

Runway Review Quick Notes: slits, minimal, backless, 90's, clean, halter necks, maxi skirts, unexpected back slits, drawstring paper bag waists, Drawing on fashion's now long standing fascination with minimalism, for spring 2012 Yigal Azrouel added a subdued downtown elegance to the phenom and made the movement his own via unexpected sexy slits and a judicious use of forever glamorous lipstick red. >> MORE: FASHION SHOWS AND RUNWAY REVIEWS While minimal and monastic even, it was those graphic slits that added a flirtatious kick to the of-the-moment line-up and an airy voluminous grace. >> SHOP: What's in store now for Yigal Azrouel at Shopbop Here, clean, unadorned surfaces dominated save for an abstract yellow and black ink print while a major focus was placed

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Gucci Off The Runway, an Illustrated Look for Spring 2012

Paris Fashion Week Preview- Pierre Balmain, Spring-Summer 2012 Film Peek

Best of London Fashion Week- Acne, Christopher Kane, Meadham Kirchoff, Richard Nicoll- Spring 2012

Prada Spring – Summer 2012 video

Giorgio Armani- Spring 2012 Women’s Fashion Show Video

Emporio Armani- Spring 2012 Women’s Fashion Show Video

Marni – Spring 2012 Fashion Show Photos

Best of New York Fashion Week- 3.1 Phillip Lim, Theyskens’ Theory, The Row, Preen- Spring 2012

Burberry Prorsum Spring 2012 Fashion Show

Chris Benz Spring 2012 Fashion Presentation

Jil Sander Navy Spring 2012 Fashion Presentation

Cut25 by Yigal Azrouel Spring 2012 Fashion Presentation

Yigal Azrouel Spring 2012 Fashion Show

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