Jason Wu's delicate balance of prints, colour and metallic undertones is flawless for Spring/Summer 2012. Kicking off the New York Fashion Week shows, Wu's feminine yet retro silhouettes were given edge with prints inspired by pop artist Kaws, as well as spiked hair designs which were invented by Odile Gilbert for the show. Each model wore bright red lips, contrasted starkly against nude skin. Wu belted many of his designs at the waist, adding structure to attention-grabbing shirt collars with buttons, bow-ties and embellishment.
The show moved from soft grey metallics to light prints and the pale, off-neon shades of colour were eased in gently, almost like a tropical horizon, deepening and becoming more dramatic as the show moved on. With punchy leather accenting the otherwise soft feminine ensembles (made more dramatic thanks to the polka-dot abstract prints that adorned many of the designs), Wu married a modern elegance with an artistic retro beat. The finale, a mixture of fine detailed, extravagant ruffle dresses of couture-esque quality reminded us how perfect he'd fit into that empty spot at Dior, and would provide the youthful exuberance and finesse needed to kick-start the label that's stuck in fashion limbo.
The Dior aspect aside, Wu once again wowed this season by subtly creating a modern woman that is refined, clever and vivacious. He has a great understanding of elegance, and never over designs his work. Coco Chanel once said "I always take off at least one piece of jewelry before I leave the house…to ensure that I am not 'overdoing' it" and Wu seems to have translated this rule into his own designs.
Backstage
Catwalk
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