Spring Summer Fashion Month 2012. The highlight of this month (best described as a fashion designer overload) was a photo of singer Nikki Minaj and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, whose picture was more unexpected and hilarious than anyone thought possible of either star. They sat next to each other at the Caroline Herrera show in New York, Wintour looking as posh and refined as ever, with Minaj by her side in nothing other than an over-the-top puff-ball dress. Neither icon looked all too happy at the time the shot was taken. Fashionista.com writer Hayley Phelan sums up the shot perfectly when she wrote “This. Is. The. Best. Photo. Ever. Period. The End.”
Rapper Kanye West debuted his line, and received his fair share of criticism in return. The Daily Mail calls it a “fashion fail,” and even though West said he meant for all the ill-fitting clothes to fit the way they did, “everyone else seemed to read them as a failure in tailoring,” wrote New York Times journalist Eric Wilson, summing up the general opinion of the fashion industry. And, although there was the occasional beautiful piece in West’s collection, most of the unoriginal outfits were disappointing.
Louis Vuitton produced an even more mind-blowing show then anyone thought possible, which even topped the previous spectacle of models arriving to the runway in old-fashioned glamorous elevators complete with bellhops. Models walked around an elegant carousal for the show, and legendary 37-year-old model Kate Moss closed the show. Marc Jacobs impressed me again by creating timeless looks that every girl would want to wear.
When I think under-the-sea, images of the bright, life-filled coral reef and the Disney princess Ariel are the first images that pop into my head. When transferring that to fashion, flowy, ocean-blue seaweed-textured clothes fit only for Atlantis are expected. Chanel, though showed a stunningly beautiful under-the-sea theme. Chanel’s twist was still fit for Atlantis, but had more pearl-like features than seaweed. Unexpected and beautiful, Chanel designer Karl Langerfield surprised the fashion community yet again with his stunning work.
Tom Ford showed an ultra-exclusive show, inviting only the biggest names in fashion to his London show. No cameras were allowed so all we can do is wait until photos of Ford’s show are released to the public.
Milan scheduled its Fall Winter 2012 fashion week so it conflicts with New York and London’s, and nobody is happy. Conde Nast is throwing its weight around by preventing any of its editors from going to any Milan shows that may conflict with New York’s. But Milan won’t budge. Although it now seems that all the big names in fashion, each one thinking that they are the most important, I expect that New York will win in the end and hope that poor London won’t be squished out.
