London Fashion Week SS12 - Day Three

JACKIE J S LEE

Korean born Newgen designer, Jackie Lee graduated from Central Saint Martin’s in 2010and launched her label the same year. This year she looks to the 1920’s style of dropped waists and boyish straight silhouettes for her SS12 collection.

For her fabric, she has taken inspiration from her niece whilst she was eating candy floss. It was not the fluffiness of the candy floss itself that caught her eye, but she became fascinated by the look and feel it had on her niece’s clothing. She replicated the effect and created a high shine embossed film on to her garments.

Expecting candy floss pink to be in the colour palette, it was not to be as monochrome black and white dominated with accents of cobalt blue and peach. I suppose it would have been too sweet and girlie for her sleek and androgynous shapes.

A few styles where a bit too clinical looking but most looked ideal for a hot summer’s day. I could imagine the peach top with plunging black neckline worn over a white shift dress looking stunning for a lazy warm hot day at Wimbledon or cricket.

DANS LA VIE

Originally a print brand only, Japanese designer Rira Sugawara’s Dans La Vie has now evolved in to a full blown label.

The print theme for her SS12 collection started as Clash Beauty and was inspired by the aftermath of Tokyo’s earthquake in March. The collection has since developed with Madonnas overcoming the situation in the style of ‘My Pop Madonna’ with four musicians and four different prints and Rose’s motif.

The four prints were:

‘Camouflage Madonna’ –the face of a green Madonna hiding amongst foliage and behind orange and black stripes. The musician is Madonna herself and the song chosen was ‘Like a Prayer’ with a dark red cross on the top of a pyjama style top and pants set.

‘Red Angel’ – cherubs amongst oversized red flowers on a caramel background. Here Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black’ played.

‘Rose Madonna’ – the face of a pink Madonna amongst pink roses, hearts and cherubs climbing ladders. Touches of blue are added here and there. Rihanna sings ‘Only Girl’

‘City Tokyo’- street scenes next to religious figures and green apples being a dominant image. This time it was Lady Gaga singing’ Born this Way’

There was a 50’s vibe with the calf length full skirted shirt dresses and their wide belts and the holiday style shorts and matching blouse sets. Although of course for Lady Gaga there was the not so 50’s style diaphanous blouse with black plasters covering the nipples.

Loved the plastic coating over the fabric used for the skirts and mac.

CRISTINA SABAIDUC

                         Images courtesy Chris Dadey

The models for Cristina Sabaiduc’s collection started in simple vests and high waisted knickers and then dressed along the way by adding layers which could be adorned and customised to suit the wearer’s needs and create different looks. Initially the garments are displayed on a clothes line.

The soft draping is inspired by Tibet and Ancient China culture with silk and jersey fabrics being used.

The models showing how to layer the pieces was a great idea in theory. However in practice not everyone could see this part and it was a long wait in-between each model walking down the catwalk aisle.

By Karen Grace
Personal Shopper & Image Consultant for Frumpy to Funky http://www.frumpytofunky.com