>> This season, Erdem Moralioglu sends his pretty-pretty aesthetic to the dark side. But don't worry, all the Erdem signatures — delicate lace, demure hemlines, dreamy florals — are still in place. It's just that for Fall 2012, they've been mixed with a little edge: latex-coated tweeds, Pollock-style splatter prints, and angular leather. "I wanted it to feel very strong," Moralioglu explains. "This season is very much about the woman, whereas last season it was much more about the girl."
>> Christopher Bailey's Burberry girl goes on a little jaunt to the English countryside for Fall 2012. While the collection may have been heavy on classic menswear fabrics — herringbone, tweeds — and utilitarian detailing, this collection was 100 percent femme. Skirts were adorned with ruffles or bows, waists were nipped in, and a peplum or flare accentuated nearly every hip. "I like taking familiar elements — the field jacket, the quilted jacket, the trench — and respecting them but making them modern," Bailey explained of his Downton Abbey-meets-downtown mix.
Photos and video, courtesy of Burberry
>> Mark Fast offered up a romantic take on grunge for Fall 2012, imbibing his signature knits with elements plucked straight from the '90s: halters, cutouts, midi skirts, and crop tops. Cashmere and mohair — in a dreamy palette of pink, blush, beige, and cream — kept the collection looking luxe, while playful elements like pom-pom fringe and wide-gauge mesh kept everything feeling fresh.
>> Antonio Berardi — in a divergence from his signature body-con ways — went full and sculptural for Fall 2012, offering up origami frocks, sharp-shouldered jackets, and angular-tiered skirts. Among the collection's standouts? A handful of floral-embellished, peplum sheaths and some very smart-looking full-flared skirt suits. Equally striking was the color palette: tomato, blush, gray, gold, and teal.
>> For Fall 2012, Peter Pilotto revisited the scuba silhouettes and futuristic prints of last season, this time giving them a cold-weather kick with the addition of sculptural parkas and technicolor fur. Slim-lined pants in intricate digi-prints looked ultra-appealing, as did a few Rooney Mara-esque cutout dresses and the Nicholas Kirkwood-designed pointy-toed shoes.
>> Michael van der Ham's lush collage aesthetic gets a dash of girlie '30s for Fall 2012 — and what a happy mashup it is. Textural fabrics — crushed organza, patterned jacquard, and metallic wools — make the perfect canvas for painterly florals and abstract prints, while a touch of fluid draping keeps silhouettes from feeling prim.
>> One can't go wrong with school girl classics like pleated tartan skirts, button-up blouses, and plaid blazers — especially when there's a bit of African print thrown into the mix. Who else but Vivienne Westwood could make it work together so joyfully? However, this season's wild mixing felt slightly more subdued than usual, with sparkling space-dyed cardis and slogan tees tempered by sharply tailored suits and curve-hugging sheaths.
>> Downtown separates with a utilitarian spin dominated the Fall 2012 collection for Topshop Unique. Outerwear — wool trench coats, double layer vests — felt right on-trend in oversized military silhouettes, while wide-leg trousers and slouchy skirts in leather provided a hint of '90s grunge. "The concept was trying to reinvent the uniform with a good mix of masculine and feminine," design manager Emma Farrow explained.
>> The Wong Kar-wai film, In The Mood for Love, and the works of Charlotte Perriand, Vanessa Beecroft and David Hockney were the reference points for Jonathan Saunders Fall 2012 collection. The result? A tight selection of swing frocks, equestrian coats, and full-flared skirts in a romantic palette of metallic jewel tones and high-contrast brights. "After last season's whimsical I wanted to do something that was more buttoned-up. The drugged-up housewife has changed into a very wealthy, eccentric young lady." the recent BFC/Vogue Fashion Fund winner explained.
>> Savannah and Sienna Miller may have cut their ties, but that doesn't mean Twenty8Twelve has lost any bit of It-girl charm. For Fall 2012, the collection's main references — Truman Capote and London in the 1960s — look fresh in a vivid palette of grenadine, violet, and kelly green. Shapes are youthful and easy-wearing, with leather jackets, draped wool skirts, printed pajama pants, and knit dresses all offering plenty of appeal.
