Spring Fashion 2012 Hit List
Photographed by Robert Fairer1/16
Photographed by Adrian Gaut2/16Pumped Up Kicks
Get a boost in spring’s wedge sneakers.
(clockwise from top left)
Nine West, $85. zappos.com.
See by Chloé, $375. shopbop.com.
Ash, $250. Ash, NYC.
Marc by Marc Jacobs, $320. Marc by Marc Jacobs.
Photo: Yannis Vlamos/ gorunway.com3/16Pumped Up Kicks
On the runway at Marc by Marc Jacobs.
Photo: courtesy of Pierre Balmain4/16The Cool Girl's Closet
For die-hard fashion fans, a Balmain piece is the wardrobe equivalent of the holy grail. But with items retailing in the high five figures, this particular brand of rocker-chic isn't exactly accessible to the average shopper. Enter the label's new line, Pierre Balmain, which debuted during Paris Fashion Week to rave reviews and is hitting stores just in time for spring. A pared-down take on Balmain's signature styles (think the same fierce silhouettes minus the mega rhinestones and studs), the line features ankle-zip skinny jeans, leather motorcycle jackets, and printed tops, in a mainly neutral palette of black, white, and tan—with a little animal print in the mix, bien sr. The only downside? You may find yourself wanting to replace your whole wardrobe with these covetable downtown-girl staples. Consider this fair warning. —VICTORIA LEWIS
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Photo: Picture Perfect/Rex USA/BEImages5/16The Cool Girl's Closet
Zoë Kravitz wearing Balmain.
Photo: Picture Perfect/Rex USA/BEImages6/16The Cool Girl's Closet
Blake Lively wearing Balmain.
Photographed by Hannah Whitaker7/16Graphic Print Jeans
Mix it up! Patterned denim speaks for itself.
(from far left)
True Religion, $198. truereligionbrandjeans.com.
Roxy, $55. roxy.com.
Current/Elliott, $248. Bloomingdale’s.
7 For All Mankind, $189. 7forallmankind.com.
Topshop, $90. topshop.com.
Topshop, $90. topshop.com.
Photo: Vanessa Jackman8/16Graphic Print Jeans
Model Joan Smalls works the trend.
Photographed by Robin Broadbent9/16Mad-Out Shades
All eyes on you! Reach for the stars in out-of-this-world sunglasses.
(clockwise, from far left)
Fantas-Eyes, $10. Nordstrom.
Girlprops.com, $5. girlprops.com.
Michael Kors, $99. Select Michael Kors stores.
Tsumori Chisato, tsumorichisato.com.
Dior, $325. Dior boutiques.
ASOS, $27. asos.com.
Diesel, $220. Diesel stores.
Photo: Monica Feudi/feudiguaineri.com10/16Mad-Out Shades
On the runway at Prabal Gurung.
Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier11/16The It Factor
Olivier Theyskens has it down to a science: effortless chic + downtown cool = Theyskens' Theory.
In New York, you can expect anything to happen," says Belgian design wunderkind and recent Manhattan transplant Olivier Theyskens. That's true: It wouldn't be entirely bewildering to see a brave soul navigating the city streets in the skyscraping seven-inch heels he created for his spring Theyskens' Theory collection. The designer famously outfitted Madonna for the 1998 Oscars in a dramatic gothic creation from his Olivier Theyskens line and later dreamed up romantic confections for French luxury labels Rochas and Nina Ricci.
Not surprising then that his 2010 move to workwear-based brand Theory was met with some head-scratching. "It's very inspiring to me that what you see on the catwalk will be worn on the street and have a real existence," says this industry wild card, who serves as both artistic director of the global Theory label and designer of his own Theyskens' Theory line. His namesake collection features, in his words, "basic components of a timeless wardrobe that I modernize every season." The spring offering boasts perfectly slack blouses and tees, structured jackets, and faux-low-rise jeans that appear to hang lazily off the hips yet are cleverly high-waisted. His theory behind such effortless cool? Easy, he says: "They are made to make girls look good." —MEDIA BRECHER
Photographed by Annie Leibovitz12/16The It Factor
Theyskens for Rochas in , 2004.
Photo: Gianni Pucci/gorunway.com/style.com13/16The It Factor
On the spring 2012 runway.
Photographed by Pete Deevakul14/16The It Factor
Get The Look
Theyskens' Theory jeans.
Photographed by Pete Deevakul15/16The Plastics
Lighten up! Transparent totes are the clear choice for spring.
(clockwise from far left)
Jil Sander Navy, $440. Jil Sander boutiques.
McQ Alexander McQueen, $210. net-a-porter.com.
BCBGeneration, $88. BCBGeneration stores.
Aéropostale, $20. Aéropostale stores.
Rag & Bone, $95. shopbop.com.
Photographed by Cameron Krone16/16Cool New Collab
It London designer Mary Katrantzou creates a coveted collection for Topshop.
If you think designers' recent obsession with hyper-real florals is just the result of there being something in the air, think again. After quietly gaining traction with her graphic, digitally manipulated photo prints for the past few seasons, London-based designer Mary Katrantzou was officially trending on the spring runways. Her response to the copycats? Beat them to the punch. Katrantzou's new collection for Topshop, which hits stores this month, so closely resembles her namesake line that fans who splurged on the originals could be forgiven for feeling shortchanged. As for the rest of us: We just hit the jackpot! —JANE KELTNER de VALLE
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