>> One can't go wrong with school girl classics like pleated tartan skirts, button-up blouses, and plaid blazers — especially when there's a bit of African print thrown into the mix. Who else but Vivienne Westwood could make it work together so joyfully? However, this season's wild mixing felt slightly more subdued than usual, with sparkling space-dyed cardis and slogan tees tempered by sharply tailored suits and curve-hugging sheaths.
>> Downtown separates with a utilitarian spin dominated the Fall 2012 collection for Topshop Unique. Outerwear — wool trench coats, double layer vests — felt right on-trend in oversized military silhouettes, while wide-leg trousers and slouchy skirts in leather provided a hint of '90s grunge. "The concept was trying to reinvent the uniform with a good mix of masculine and feminine," design manager Emma Farrow explained.
>> The Wong Kar-wai film, In The Mood for Love, and the works of Charlotte Perriand, Vanessa Beecroft and David Hockney were the reference points for Jonathan Saunders Fall 2012 collection. The result? A tight selection of swing frocks, equestrian coats, and full-flared skirts in a romantic palette of metallic jewel tones and high-contrast brights. "After last season's whimsical I wanted to do something that was more buttoned-up. The drugged-up housewife has changed into a very wealthy, eccentric young lady." the recent BFC/Vogue Fashion Fund winner explained.
>> Savannah and Sienna Miller may have cut their ties, but that doesn't mean Twenty8Twelve has lost any bit of It-girl charm. For Fall 2012, the collection's main references — Truman Capote and London in the 1960s — look fresh in a vivid palette of grenadine, violet, and kelly green. Shapes are youthful and easy-wearing, with leather jackets, draped wool skirts, printed pajama pants, and knit dresses all offering plenty of appeal.
>> "I always think a Winter show should actually be for Winter," creative director Emma Hill said backstage at her Fall 2012 show for Mulberry. And so, out came the fur-heavy coats, layered sweaters, and cozy wool skirts. But this wasn't your usual dreary cold weather offering. Hill looked to Where The Wild Things Are and The Lost Explorer for inspiration, and the result was a collection rich with fantasy: knits came brightly patterned, wools highly textured, and a smattering of dreamy prints drifted throughout.
>> Hello, darkness. Gustav Klimt and the art of early 20th century Vienna were the touch-points for Nicole Farhi's moody Fall 2012 collection. A dramatic palette of dusky green, charcoal, and bronze dominated; but the odd pop of mustard yellow and a smattering of sequins added spark. Silhouettes were structured, straightforward, and nicely architectural.
>> Paul Smith's classic menswear influence took a spiffy turn for Fall 2012. In a rich color palette — deep chocolate, olive, cobalt, and teal — and a plethora of super-luxe fabrics, this borrowed-from-the-boys collection felt decadent, warm, and plenty feminine.
