We can’t believe 2012 is drawing to a close so fast, and with festive prep in full blast, we’ve taken out a little time to help you reflect on the trends that defined the runways of 2012.
From ornate embellishment to luxe leather; gym gear gone glam to shirtless collars – 2012 brought several lasting pieces and styles to our wardrobes.
To refresh your memory, as next season creeps upon the ever-moving world of fashion, here’s to a trip down trend memory lane to refresh your fashion mindset, and cleanse the mental palate to make way for next season’s stunning wares.
Sports luxe: Olympic fever gripped the globe this year, and with so much fitness apparel, fine abs and Tom Daley in full view, designers couldn’t help but take gym gear up a few chic notches; off the treadmill and straight onto the runway(with a few modifications, obvs).
Embellishment: The SS’12 shows marked the beginning of our obsession with festooning everything from cardis to clutches and slippers to socks. Even for a/w’12, Lanvin and Balmain delivered heavy smatterings of crystals and beading to their fashionable wares, whilst Christopher Kane’s embellished clutches and jeans became summer staples. We approved.
Collars: Dismantling the shirt, a firm wardrobe staple, left us with a collar and free reign to do anything to it! What started out as a pretty and prim game of peek-a-boo atop cosy knits Alexa (yes, she) wore with dresses and shirts underneath became a full-blown global phenomenon. Encrusted with stones; crisp white; metallic; printed or Peter Pan versions, the collar did pretty well at pushing the statement necklace of its pedestal.
Candy shades: Probably the biggest summer trend to slip into our wardrobes, pastel shades were everywhere! We blame the house of Louis Vuitton for getting us unhealthily hooked on shades of lemon yellow, candyfloss pink and duck egg blue. Pastels for ss’12 sure proved the perfect palate cleansers before autumn/winter’s dark and moody hues descended on our wardrobes.
Leather: It came. It conquered. It never went away. 2012 proved to be leather’s biggest comeback, and deemed the beautiful-with-age fabric appropriate for all. With biker connotations scrapped, everyone scrambled to snap up lust-have leather wares that would last a lifetime and still feel perfect. Valentino’s captain-esque capes for a/w’12 were our fave!
The Trouser Suit: Prada, we heart you. Making us feel appropriately dressed in a top-to-toe clashing ensemble of eyeball aching prints, fashioned into a desirable ankle-grazing trouser and sharply cut suit jacket was no easy feat. And you succeeded no bounds! Trouser suits popped up everywhere ths year, fast becoming the go-to party wear ensemble. Our fave: a Biance Jagger-esque, white Stella McCartney suit, as seen on the beautiful Angelina Jolie.
Peplum: Nothing made a protruding, and at times, unflattering frill more trendy than 2012. Peplum rage swept the fashion world, as everything form skirts to coats and jumpers we’re given the peplum treatment. Givenchy, Peter Pilotto and Alexander McQueen all had us addicted to the frill.
Wedge sneakers: Two words: Isabel Marant. The sassy Parisian designer had us at hello with her ingenious, leg-lengthening wedged creations. Although nearly £400 a pop, the Betty, Bobby, Bazil and Bekket sneaks couldn’t keep us away. Comfort and enviable Parisian insouciance squished into one deceptive sneaker. Genius.
Statement trousers: Party/season/wardrobe staples. However you choose to see them, statement trousers replaced LBDs and scanty skirts in our wardrobes much like Wang did Ghesquière at Balenciaga (sorry, bad joke). Printed, brocade plain black or cropped – the statement trouser was this year’s transitional piece that’ll continue to live in our wardrobes well into 2013.
Bold prints: Although eye-popping prints are nothing new for 2012, they sure as hell ‘popped’ this year. The modern fashion pioneers of print, Mary Katrantzou and Peter Pilotto led the pack as always, but it wasn’t as much about intricate, geometric prints, as it were about in-yer-face hyper-florals and rerto art-inspired graphics. Diane von Furstenberg’s starkly contrasted jumpsuits and Mary Katrantzou’s high-end take on HB pencils left us jaws ajar.
