Milan Spring 2012: Prada

Prada is finally here.

And it's just as fabulous as I remembered it. Except this time it's all about retro car prints and flower-power-esque patterns. I think I even see a squid on that brown, leather skirt.

I can dig that.

Prada Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

Do you not absolutely love Miuccia's sense of humor? I mean, there're flying cars!

Milan Spring 2012: Gucci

FOMG, Gucci.

Ugh, I don't even know where to begin to express my love of obsession with this brand. With the house. Hell, with Frida Giannini. Everything about Gucci screams luxury. Pure, ostentatious, indisputable luxury.

Case in point: Gucci Spring 2012. The aesthetic is so refined and evolved. As if Tom Ford were still there in spirit. Channeling the 20's/80's.

Gucci Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

I'm loving the metallic plating and piping details.

London Spring 2012: Burberry Prorsum

Put your trust in Christopher Bailey to class up LFW with a street savvy and stylishly urban Burberry Prorsum Spring collection. This just makes you want Burberry.

I love the slightly obnoxious patterns (pentagons on a trench coat!) and how delightfully shaggy everything is. Especially the guys, though baggy, oversized jackets don't quite remind me of Spring. But then again, I live in San Francisco.

Burberry Prorsum Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

I'm going to come right out and say it: the pattern on the button up reminds me of micelles.

London Spring 2012: Mary Katrantzou and Matthew Williamson

I've heard of color blocking, but Mary Katrantzou's trompe l'oeil floral pattern blocking is looking quite marvelous. I'm also now wondering why every skirt ever doesn't have an attached train.

Mary Katrantzou Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

 

Who knew that I would fall in love with paisley and fringe. At the same time. Other than Matthew Williamson.

Matthew Williamson Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

London Spring 2012: Pringle of Scotland and Paul Smith

Pringle of Scotland brings it back to high school geometry with some mesmerizing tessellations and patterns.

Pringle of Scotland Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

And Paul Smith keeps it effortlessly classy as always, but suspiciously (and chicly!) androgynous.

Paul Smith Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

I love the British.

New York Spring 2012: Zac Posen

I guess mermaid silhouettes are in for Spring 2012. That is, if you're in the market for a gown.

I feel compelled to include some of my favorite Zac Posen dresses from his Spring collection - I suspect they might show up a couple of times on upcoming red carpets.

But anyways, enjoy the pomp and vibrancy of the many cocktail dresses and voluminous gowns! My favorite is the strapless, sky blue gown with the lifted, ruffled hemline.

Zac Posen Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

New York Spring 2012: Proenza Schouler

Please, please, please browse through this collection. I promise you will not regret the decision. As always, Proenza Schouler is inspired, visually stunning, and cutting edge. Obviously I'm no designer (and no expert fashion critic, as I've said before), but I find it thoroughly exhilarating to see a bounty of raffia skirts and dresses, as well as eel skin! Who would ever imagine? Besides, of course, Jack and Lazaro.

The leaf patterns and colors are getting me itching and raring to go for Spring 2012.

Proenza Schouler Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

New York Spring 2012: Prabal Gurung

Sometimes I surprise myself with how eccentric my taste can be.

Which is the one word I would start with describing Prabal Gurung's Spring 2012 collection. There's something so very symbiotic about his symmetrical, psychedelic purple patterns (I'm seriously into the first look!) At the same time, though, everything looks so devious and offbeat, e.g. his torso cutouts and furry tulle skirts and gowns.

Perhaps furry tulle speaks to an off-kilter alter ego I didn't know I had.

Prabal Gurung Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

Source: NY Mag

New York Spring 2012: Jason Wu

It's electric!

As adorable as Jason Wu is, the man has some serious potential. It's as if his riveting design ideas and artfully built pieces come to him with no effort at all. Case in point: his very edgy (and electrically colored) yet soft and classic (and borderline sporty) Spring 2012 collection.

It's on the shorter end as collections go, so you should have plenty of time to go through all his looks! It builds so nicely, from his very light and breezy springtime pieces, up to the voluminously ruffled evening gowns of his last few looks. Really, it's quite satisfying.

Jason Wu Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

Source: NY Mag

New York Spring 2012: Cushnie et Ochs

The future is here.

I suppose the future here is Spring 2012. But Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs' idea of this upcoming Spring style is the future. Or futuristic, I should say.

Admire below the acute edges and cutouts of the necklines, the stark whites and jet blacks (and the electric pinks and luminous yellows!), all in juxtaposition with the feminine and classic silhouettes.

With the neon, fluorescent picket fence behind the runway, it makes me ponder: this is what real housewives of the future will look like.

Cushnie et Ochs Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

Source: NY Mag

What Do Alber Elbaz and Pitbull Have In Common?

This ad for Lanvin's Fall 2011 collection!

Why is Alber Elbaz the world's most adorable designer?

And why is Karen Elson so hot?

My Two (or Rather Three) Scents

Lancôme recently came out with a commercial for its fragrance, Trésor Midnight Rose. It stars the always magnificent Emma Watson, looking completely alluring with her pixie haircut and black fedora.

Then I got to reminiscing about other fragrance commercials. Can I just say that I find Keira Knightley equally as alluring in this one for Chanel Coco Mademoiselle:

A very different vibe (but equally sassy), wouldn't you say, what with all that sultry Joss Stone playing in the background. When all's said and done, though, Audrey Tautou for Chanel No. 5 is easily my winner. Seriously, she is like a Chanel suit; she'll never go out of style.

Introducing Electra Heart

I live for this sort of pretension. Or maybe I should call it artistic expression of perspective.

At any rate, here's some background: Marina and the Diamonds recently released two new music videos for her upcoming album, Electra Heart. They're part of a series, which she is using as a platform to introduce the character of Electra Heart who is "the antithesis of everything that I stand for" according to Marina.

To continue quoting from her Popjustice interview: "[The] point of introducing her and building a whole concept around her is that she stands for the corrupt side of American ideology, and basically that's the corruption of yourself. My worst fear - that's anyone's worst fear - is losing myself and becoming a vacuous person. And that happens a lot when you're very ambitious."

For the record, I'm genuinely impressed when musicians come up with these aggrandizing concepts.

When asked about her inspiration for the premise of this series: "I want to explore the side [of America] that's all about loss and failure. That image, that illusion we have of America really fascinates me."

I smell another Gaga act developing. No, I kid. I really do love Marina and the Diamonds.

Part 1: Fear and Loathing

Part 2: Radioactive