THE NEW B & W DUO
From New York to Paris, designers debuted black and white cocktail dresses that stood out among a sea of bright colors. Carmen Marc Valvo offered an alluring black, pleated cocktail dress that was met at the waist by a fitted white bodice inset with a panel of woven organza.  A perfect dress for a night of dancing. Black cigarette trousers were paired with a slimming B & W color blocked sleeveless tank at Jason Wu, for a look that is tres chic any day of the week. 

A white v neck dress with contrasting black piping from Alberta Ferretti can take you straight from the office to a night out with friends. Not one to avoid the limelight, Roberto Cavalli’s white stenciled dress with black flora botanica designs features a fishtail panel of fringe at the knee. Our all time favorite is Balenciaga’s sculpted B & W dress which came in several variations, each more stunning than the other with cascading ruffles and white peek-a-boo lining.  At Costume National, a sporty strapless A-line top is paired with a vented black wrap skirt. The new black and white duo is sure to make it into every fashion lover’s wardrobe this spring.

LACE EMBROIDERY
Lace has never looked so captivating as designers amped up this once demure fabric into vibrant electrifying hues. Carolina Herrera’s ultra feminine sleeveless sheer lace blouse tucked into a slim trumpet organza came in a gorgeous shade of haute orange. J. Mendel’s sweet, mint green lace with organza confection is cinched at the waist and worn over an A-line skirt. 

At Dolce & Gabbana, an exquisite see through black lace dress is worn over a black bustier and high waisted micro shorts, instantly transforming the look from casual to evening. Missoni’s playful pointelle knit dress has incongruous layers of patterned sheer lace revealing slivers of skin beneath multiple layers. Jet set micro mini’s at Balmain feature a woven octagonal pattern and strong shoulders. In contrast, Valentino’s 1940s Rome inspired collection featured a daisy patterned cotton lace skirt and jacket accessorized by a thin white cotton belt at the waist.

DAY GLO ORANGE
Diane Von Furstenberg bohemian jeweled neckline halter top is tucked into a vibrant orange, high-waisted trouser and paired with a long cream coat. Narciso Rodriguez’s blood orange, color blocked sheath dress has an arrowhead-shaped cutout from the neckline to the solar plexus. Rodarte also offered an extreme version of the color with their sharply pleated, deep v, mini dress. Helmut Lang’s sheer organza and orange leather sheath dress is easy to throw on and look your best.

Chado Ralph Rucci’s sharp, curve accentuating cocktail dress with matching cape is a stunning example of how to wear this hot color. Zac Posen’s ultra feminine, sweetheart neckline strapless gown is reminiscent of 1940s Hollywood.

SEA GREENS
From pale mint to forest green Milan designers established sea green as the new color for spring. Etro introduced a kelly green floaty, asymmetrical sari-like top with matching trousers. Prada’s forest green, three-quarter sleeve top with matching trousers is decorated with Wahol inspired daisies. Missoni’s sheer, A-line dress is thrown over a patterned, bodysuit. Roberto Cavalli made heads turn with his lime green slip dress creating an interesting mix of leather and lace. Alberta Ferretti’s floor length lace dress mixed with sequins and netting conjures up a modern day mermaid. An Asian inspired halter tunic paired with sheer trousers at Emilio Pucci makes for a great pool side look.

YVES KLEIN BLUE
French designers looked to New Realism founder Yves Klein to inspire the color of the season. Elie Saab portrayed this striking blue in a shawl collared, peplum blazer over a button-down blouse and pleated shorts creating a precision-cut, monochromatic look. Stella McCartney’s sheer white dress is inset with stiff organza creating panels of bright blue elliptical shapes bisected by a transparent panel at the midriff. For a chic casual daytime look, try Hermes’ suede, bateau tunic over electric blue leather shorts. Playing with proportions, Andrew Gn’s burnt orange, silk dropped shoulder top with butterfly sleeves is worn over bright blue, pleated capri pants tapered at mid-calf. At Issey Miyake’s a short sleeve polo is tucked into wide trousers for a sporty, sophisticated look. Chanel empire waistline robe over a swimsuit is the perfect cover up.

CROPPED TOP:
From New York to Paris, Designers reveled in revealing a bit of skin. 3.1 Philip Lim’s grunge inspired ensemble featured a black leather cropped top under a white blazer. Derek Lam’s pierced black leather bustier is paired with a mustard and military green madras skirt which displayed utilitarian style in a feminine way.

Leading the way in Milan, Dolce & Gabbana’s 1950s style cropped top is embroidered with a needlepoint floral motif in rich red and paired with a high-waisted A-line skirt and a swingy dolman sleeve jacket. Salvatore Ferragamo armor-like, black leather cropped top and black mini skirt with over-the-knee gladiator sandals is a favorite look for spring. Balenciaga’s midriff-baring top with a voluptuous floor length skirt made up of cascading ruffles is nothing short of stunning. At Victor & Rolf a black cropped top is visible underneath a blazer embellished with silver beaded fringe on the lapels worn over a silver lamé, full length, pleated skirt reminiscent of old Hollywood glamour.

LEATHER
Leather is a major trend for spring white, nude or vibrant hues. In New York, Jason Wu showed a coral, lace blouse with sheer sleeves paired with high-waisted black leather trousers. Oscar de la Renta’s extraordinary color combination featured a fuchsia cropped jacket over a turquoise leather sheath dress that is pure heaven.

Fendi’s feather-light, cropped leather pants in geometric color-blocked panels is paired with a white pleated blouse creating a cocoon shaped silhouette. At Sportmax a white, boxy jacket with houndstooth pattern cutouts over a skirt is smoking hot. Roland Mouret’s mud-dyed silk resembles leather in his asymmetrically cut maroon tank top paired with dark green, high-waisted trousers. Ann Demeulemeester armor-like top with straps and trailing sheer black sleeves is paired with relaxed wide legged black trousers.

SHEER
Derek Lam presented sheer in a whole new sex-ed up way, his red guipure lace t-shirt over a black bra is worn over a red skirt detailed with black embroidery. Tadashi Shoji’s ultra feminine, deep-v, pleated gown with exposed legs in nude chiffon is destined for the red carpet.

Bottega Veneta’s black mesh sweater over a floral print bustier is worn with a pencil skirt with striped floral embroidery. Dolce and Gabbana’s sculpted gold ball gown with a corseted bodice is visible beneath a sheer, black organza dress. French fashion house, Louis Vuitton’s floor-length column skirt in a sheer white checkerboard pattern is paired with a crew neck long sleeved sweater with yellow accents at the cuff. While at Valentino, a bibbed, floor length gown in a delicate nude chiffon is embroidered with tiny white seed beading.

Jean Paul Gaultier took a nostalgic look back at the glory years of fashion even staging his show at the Salle Wagram, where some of his most infamous and memorable collections of the 1980s and 1990s took place. His pointy conical bustiers, marinière stripes and trench coats were all back, but reinterpreted in a whole new way that veered into punk rock territory with elements of contemporary urban street culture.
 
The show opened with two models wearing modern day incarnations of the conical bra corset made famous by Madonna in the 1980s. A nude fitted conical bra jacket featured detachable sleeves and was detailed with studs along the seams. The jackets were paired with either skin-tight black leather pants or a black, floor-length plissé skirt with models sporting punk-scruffy hair and knee-length stiletto boots. Wool gabardine trenches were layered over floor-length chiffon dresses, fitted conical bustiers were transformed into long sleeved peplumed blouses and bomber jackets were paired with skin tight pencil skirts.

Gaultier introduced a big bold signature print of block letters with models silhouetted against the background shown in three different color ways. A red and yellow version was featured on a silk, dolman sleeved caftan with asymmetrical hem styled with black tights, knee-length boots and black leather gloves. A green and purple version was seen on a pleated, silk chiffon floor-length skirt paired with a cropped fringed jacket with black fur trim at the collar and the cuffs. A neutral brown and beige version was rendered into a patchwork, sheared fur coat with fox fur collar that wrapped round the body and was worn with brown stiletto ankle boots.

Jean Paul Gaultier latest collection steps away from his usual over the top theatrical looks to focus on consumer friendly wearable clothes. The collection felt refined and luxurious in a Parisian way, while still maintaining the unique Gaultier aesthetic.

CAMO FEVER
Camouflage is the hottest print in menswear this season. Designers gave the military inspired motif a modern spin in the form of panels with an unexpected shot of color or as an over all print on shirts, suits, jackets, bags and even sneakers. The Valentino camouflage sneaker is one the hottest accessories for spring with a waiting list for the coveted shoe. Camo appeared in the mens collections of Dries Van Noten, Comme des Garçons, General Idea, and Gant by Michael Bastian. Who knew camo could be so contagious!

BASEBALL JACKETS
For Spring/Summer 2013, many designers brought back the iconic baseball jacket. Hermes sent out a white leather baseball jacket, while Gucci offered a buttery yellow suede version. Christopher Bailey at Burberry Prorsum showed several multi-colored baseball jackets in electric blue and other metallic hues. Meanwhile, at Moschino colorful graphic print jackets dominated the runway. Baseball jackets are the perfect go to jacket to go with just about everything this season.

GAGA FOR STRIPES
From nautical to pinstripes, both horizontal and vertical, stripes have appeared at many of the top mens Spring/Summer 2013 collections. Stripes of every color and variety are a strong motif for spring. At Dior Homme there were plenty of nautical-inspired sweaters featuring thin, horizontal stripes. At Michael Kors, the stripes went graphic as the designer sent out a black and white vertical striped blazer.  Tommy Hilfiger offered a variety of options at his spring show with a multi-colored red-white and blue suit that caught everyone’s eye with its bold statement stripes. 

ELECTRIC NEON COLOR
Most people associate spring with delicious sorbet colors, but this spring you’ll come to associate it with blinding hues of acid neon colors. Super bright punchy colors were seen either as head to toe ensembles or as slivers on the soles of shoes. If you’re not ready to wear neon from head-to-toe then opt for Louis Vuitton’s highlighter yellow drawstring leather bag.

COLOR ME BAD
Blue suits definitely have their time and place. However, if you’re not in a corporate environment and just want to spice-up your wardrobe, why not try a suit in an unexpected shade of chartreuse, fuchsia, tangerine or Ferrari red? Hermes’ blinding lime colored suit or the easy-to-wear aqua-blue ensemble from Salvatore Ferragamo are among some of our favorites this season. You are sure to attract a bevy of admirers while wearing one of these colorful suits!

PRECIOUS METALS
Metallics are not just for the holidays anymore, the Spring 2013 collections were shock full and dripping with electrifying metallic leather and other high tech fabrics. The metallic hues ranged from luminous shades of hot pink to copper and gold, iridescent amethyst, and cold blue steel. Grab yourself a pair of amethyst leather trousers from Roberto Cavalli or a hot pink metallic trench from Burberry and step into the limelight.

Bottega Veneta’s creative director, Thomas Maier, shifted gears for fall presenting a collection focused on tailored suits with a hint of cool individuality. “I wanted to explore the iconic mens suit and the formality, and competence that fine tailoring conveys. No fuss, no gimmicks, but a richness that reflects the world we all work in,” explains Thomas Maier.

Maier focused on refining the tailored suit and keeping the silhouette lean and sharp, in a rich color palette that ranged from inky black and silvery gray to shark skin blue with bronze and plum highlights adding a pop of color. Maier, also introduced silvery brocades which gave the collection a hint of animation to otherwise seemingly austere dark hues. Brocades appeared in various incarnations throughout the collection - as jacquards woven in cotton or wool or printed on fabrics.

A sleek, silvery gray brocade three piece suit was paired with a patterned shirt and solid gray tie conveying an effortlessly refined look for today’s working man. This look was followed by a cubist patterned crew-neck cashmere sweater layered over a black dress shirt over slim trousers and tuxedo style black patent loafers. Supple leathers also figured prominently in the collection. A shark blue cardigan with a shawl collar and black leather insets was paired with jet black leather trousers. For evening, a matte black wool tuxedo with sparkling trim on the lapels seemed to capture the attention of the front row with its tone-on-tone color combination.

Bottega Veneta’s new satchel and briefs are clearly intended for work, with a formal attitude and an emphasis on functionality. Shoes are classic in concept but forward in construction with loafers, buckled boots, and lace-up ghillies constructed from intricate combinations of leather, crocodile, and suede.

Maier’s fall collection for Bottega Veneta suggests an understated luxury with his use of lightweight flannel, cashmere, worsted wool, and wool-and-cashmere blends on precision cut suits, coats and trousers. Every piece in the collection, regardless of silhouette or inspiration was treated with meticulous attention usually reserved for bespoke tailored clothing. These are functional and elegant clothes that men will covet and appreciate for years to come. -Edwardo Flores for Global Fashion News 

By Edwardo Flores for Global Fashion News 

Don’t let the distressed leather, oversized Japanese knots, and black on white centric palette fool you: Rick Owens is not a one-note goth designer. On the contrary, Owens is an avant garde designer with a knack for finding beauty in the most unlikely places.

For Fall/Winter 2013, Rick Owens took a graceful detour to the Far East, which translated into oversized Kimono sleeves and Japanese hand tied knots which he used as embellishments on coats and sleek outerwear. Rick Owens seemed to work more feminine layers into this collection than is his usual tendency, adding soft layers of fabrics like silk, taffeta, and satin.

The designer showed some of the most appealing and beautifully crafted pieces he has ever created. A pristine white structured coat with horizontal hand woven cord detail on the sides was layered over a short black tunic dress, and worn with sleek black knee-high boots and leather gloves resulting in an effortlessly cool ensemble.

Owens’ long asymmetrical dresses, groovy T-shirts and edgy outerwear are just some of the components of his irreverent brand. He layered the T-shirt with an asymmetric mid-thigh tunic length with bauble-trim at the hem. His iconic coats got a fresh make over this season with oversized kimonos sleeves and his boots feature a stiletto heel instead of a chunky heel.  

The highlight of the collection was the superb hand-tied Japanese knotting technique which appeared as an embellishment on the collection’s outerwear or at times knotted as woven leather cord inserts into the midsections of cocoon-like jackets. It was exciting to see Rick Owens’ industrial toughness mixed with handcrafted artisan elements.

Rick Owens’ fans are infamous for buying his clothes with a cult-like eagerness, and this season they are sure to find some truly unique pieces to add to their Rick Owens treasure-box.

By Edwardo Flores for Global Fashion News

The world of Giorgio Armani is a multifaceted one for fall winter 2013. Using rich, luscious fabrics like velvet, fur, metallic leathers and boyish pinstripes on wool, Armani sent out a bevy of slim modern silhouettes with broad shoulders and tapered trousers rendered with superb craftsmanship.

Giorgio Armani reinterpreted Sonia Delaunay’s geometric prints into modern day prints that landed on chunky knits or flannels and block-printed jackets. A three-dimensional, multicolored geometric block print jacket worn over a black calvary style shirt and jet black trousers characterized the richness of the fabrications used throughout the collection.

Dandy daytime looks were punched up with brocade vests and rich velvet trousers worn with a polo shirt under a double-breasted jacket or by mixing a gray cavalry jacket with luxe drawstring pants under a charcoal gray shearling coat. A gray flannel jacket over a brocade vest was paired with slim fitting bordeaux velvet trousers for look that can carry from day into evening.

The essential three-piece suit that is trending everwhere now appeared later in the show in varying shades of gray, complete with luxe furs, and embossed velvet details on the lapels or in the piping of a suit jacket.

Giorgio Armani’s ability to merge Art Deco and modernity into cool incarnations proved to be a winning inspiration for fall.