Monique Lhuillier Spring 2013 | Runway

Monique Lhuillier's Spring 2013 collection took its direction from the beauty found underneath the ocean's surface. Her customarily gorgeous gowns and dresses were, this season, covered in prints that resembled glittering aqua fish scales or stylized images of koi. Other dresses were covered in small shells painted a deep blue that caught the light as the models moved down the runway. Peplums, an enduring trend this season, were used to create fishtail silhouettes with a number of the collection's tops.

But even the dresses that didn't look like they were pulled straight out of the water carried reminders of the sea. Gauzy tulle numbers were embellished with lace or sequin embroidery that looked like the patterns of the ocean current, and one strapless gown was covered in a multicolored print that resembled the ocean depths fading from light blue to dark.