Christopher Kane Spring 2012 RTW

Romee Strijd

Romee Strijd

Romee Strijd detail

Nadine Ponce

Nadine Ponce detail

Maud Welzen

Marte Mei Van Haaster

Marte Mei Van Haaster detail

Lindsay Lullman

Lindsay Lullman detail

Josephine Skriver

Hanna Sorheim

Elinor Weedon

Elinor Weedon

Ros Georgiou detail

Let's just get this out of the way first. The shoes or thick clompy sandals are hideous and almost ruin the whole feminine, detailed and refined look of the collection. Thankfully, I can look past this eyesore and see a beautiful vision. Certainly no where near as beautiful as his iconic fluorescent and laser-cut leather collection last Spring which I reviewed here. He has created a subtle contrast here between the geometric  cuts of the fabric and the soft floral prints and materials. Also, some beautiful embellishment and embroidery features in this collection paired with a matte satin look. What I particularly like is the velvet vintage floral coat that Lindsay Lullman wears. The material Kane uses makes it look almost translucent and magical. It is a little disappointing that he could not execute the same level of vision and cohesive look that he did last Spring but designers all have their ups and downs. It's part of the creative cycle. I look forward to next Spring then!

Giles Spring 2012 RTW

Ruby Jean Wilson

Nyasha Matonhodze

Emily Baker

Julia Nobis

Erjona Ala

Fei Fei Sun

Caterina Ravaglia

Frida Gustavsson

There was a lot that I didn't like at Giles, but as you can see, there were a couple of themes his Giles Deacon did well. Metallic cut-outs and printed silk dresses beautifully draped were two obvious ones. Some of the cuts were a little off - they didn't sit well on the figure of the models and they're thin - if it had been a normal sized person the cuts would have been really out. They either had no shape or the shape they had stuck out in all the wrong places. Having said that, the pieces above are not of that quality and are beautiful examples of what Giles can do. What I loved the most was the precision - they must have been laser-cut - of the doily patterned outfits. It is a way of combining the old with the new (futuristic silver metallic leather). Any woman would be honoured to wear something so original and flattering as these pieces above, I'm sure.

Antonio Berardi Spring 2012 RTW

Bette Franke

Karo Mrozkova

Jia Jing

Bette Franke

Julia Nobis

Suzie Bird

Rose Smith

Josephine Skriver

Bette Franke

I have posted on Antonio Berardi's collection because I like the (typically masculine) strength he displays in the feminine style, cuts and embellishments he uses. It may not be a first class collection but Berardi shows a lot of potential and I hope he will refine his vision a little more. The body-con look and the sheer cut-outs, in addition to his stunning drapery and tailoring, are strengths he should definitely pursue. The sparkling embellished tribal pants remind me of Australian label Sass & Bide's long flirtation with the tribal look and I'd love to see it taken on by someone with a priority for quality fabric and cuts. In this collection Berardi has done a bit of everything which shows his range but he has also struggled to create a cohesive theme and purpose. I need to know who a Berardi woman is and right now I'm not sure. Good work though.

Burberry Prorsum Spring 2012 RTW

Arizona Muse

Skirt and bag detail

Bag detail

Bag detail

Bag and shoes detail

Erjona Ala

Erjona Ala detail

Sara Blomqvist

Sara Blomqvist

I'm not very keen on Christopher Bailey's latest collection for Burberry Prorsum. It was full of long, high-waisted skirts, wide belts tied at the waist, woollen sweaters, puffer jackets... Really it just looked like a modern version of Little House on the Prairie. It wasn't physically very liberating for women having to move in heavy and cumbersome full skirts, nor is it now. I have chosen the pieces that were modern and progressive in design and show respect for any busy female who, in spring, would like to have her clothes complement and support her movements. I hope Bailey can leave the 19th century and return to the 21st next season.

Richard Nicoll Spring 2012 RTW

Maud Welzen

Chantal Stafford-Abbott

Suzie Bird

Sara Blomqvist

Bette Franke

Pilar Solchaga

Caitlin Lomax

Hanne Gaby Odiele

If, like me, you're not a fan of the large rose print or emboss then you would have had a hard time finding something to like in Richard Nicoll's latest collection. To me the rose theme is garish and reminds me of my grandparents (not a bad thing, but not fashion-forward either). What is left is a little mediocre but I thought it was worth posting for some design concepts and his use of sheer fabric.

Pringle of Scotland Spring 2012 RTW

Abbey Lee Kerhsaw

Martha Streck

There wasn't much that was good about Pringle of Scotland this season (as with all others), but here's what was...