Paris Fashion Week Spring 2013

From the black-and-white Viktor & Rolf Spring '13 checkerboard catwalk, out stepped a plethora of stunning looks, drenched in pleated metallics, stark white contrasts, and shards of mosaic glass. Without a doubt, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren tapped into every girl's fashion fantasyland, even going so far as to literally include the "looking glass mirror" as the official runway entrance. The collection tied together references to an ethereal Rapunzel-like character and unadulterated Hollywood glamour, then contrasted its soft, dreamy edge with sharp lines, graphic shapes, and a monochromatic palette. It was an even-keeled blend of the ultrafeminine (trousers and blouses with bows nestled in the shoulders and at the waist; semisheer maxi skirts; mirror "embroidery" of roses and bows) vs. the tougher pantsuits and chunky fur-laden outerwear. Pretty enough for the romantics, but never ever deviating from the tried-and-true Viktor & Rolf fashion formula: a sophisticated turn of smart, witty pieces.

• Trends: Tulle overlays, accordion pleats, mirror embroidery, cropped outerwear, maxi skirt silhouettes.
• Colors: Black, white, soft pink, peach, lavender, and pops of metallic silver and metallic purple.
• Key Piece: It's a tie for most eye-catching use of silver. We're most partial to the metallic silver-pleated gowns and the mirror-embroidered white maxi skirts.
• Accessories: Black T-strap sandals, silver T-strap sandals and pumps.
• Who Should Wear It: Katy Perry for the bolder mirror-laden gowns and Eva Mendes for those gorgeous pleated siren gowns.

Haider Ackermann's Spring '13 collection was tinged with traditional Japanese origami influences, and kept in a moody color palette of black, grays, and browns. Ackermann's signature expert tailoring and love for layering really shone through — airy silk polka-dot print blouses were draped off the shoulder and topped with louche silk bed jackets, while low-cut tops and leather bandeaus got a jolt from tweedy jackets cinched at the waist with wide obi-style belts. Pants were either kept perfectly lean and cigarette-style or languid and pooling at the ankles. Gowns — yes, gowns — and slipdresses were presented over skinny trousers, adding fuel to the fire that is Spring 2013's dress-over-pants trend. Overall, Haider Ackermann's Spring 2013 collection was a darkly romantic tale of boy-meets-girl styling and East-meets-West sensibilities.

• Trends: Polka dots, origami, bed jackets, layering.
• Colors: Black, bronze, white, brown, navy, plum.
• Key Piece: The open polka-dot blouse with tweed pants and printed silk robe.
• Accessories: Leather cage wedges, wide waist belts, slim Y-necklaces.
• Who Should Wear It: Penelope Cruz, Victoria Beckham, and Haider Ackermann devotee Tilda Swinton.

Check out all the pictures from Sonia Rykiel's Spring 2013 collection and come back soon for our full review.

Photos courtesy of Sonia Rykiel.

There are some shows that feel so effortless, so on point, and so simple, you leave feeling light and happy and wishing you had the biggest closet in the world. That was the feeling after leaving Vanessa Bruno's light-as-air and totally pretty Spring 2013 show. Having ended up with a stroke of luck that put me in the front row, I got to witness the soft silk dresses that floated on the models, the way Bruno's sharply tailored jackets were cut to make everyone look 10 times better, and the hugely covetable leather strappy ankle booties that had a fresh gladiator vibe. Vanessa Bruno dances the delicate line between bohemian and polished, and the clothes here always felt put together (I saw at least 10 outfits I would love for my work wardrobe) but with a loose, bohemian spirit. The dresses were gorgeous — particularly the ones with embroidery and eyelet. If I could tell you to invest in anything next season, it would be one of Bruno's fabulous blazers and one of these soft dresses. Some shows are inspiring because they're so innovative, but this one was so inspiring because it was simply so pretty.

Check out all the pictures from Maison Martin Margiela's Spring 2013 collection and come back soon for our full review.

Isabel Marant has the cool, Parisian girl look down, and for Spring '13, the designer gave her collection, shown today in an old convent in the sixth arrondissement, a decidedly tropical slant. Described by the designer as a little bit of Elvis in Hawaii, '70s Saint-Tropez, and a little Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin, the energetic show (complete with an Elvis track playing in the background), started out with red-and-black Hawaiian floral prints splayed across one-shouldered wrap minidresses, short shorts, adorable cutout rompers, and straight-leg trousers paired with jeweled and studded sandals. Marant then dipped into more familiar territory with bohemian-meets-Western offerings via silk paisley-printed blouses, studded wrap miniskirts, sheer embellished tops, and tiered ruffle dresses. To counter the leg-baring lineup, Marant created perfectly cut low-slung trousers and a pair of amazing leather cropped pants decorated with antique gold studs. The mood was effortlessly cool, just like the designer herself, and we're sure all of the pretty young things will be lining up for a piece of it.

• Trends: Leather, embellishments, bold floral prints, sheer layers.
• Colors: Black, red, white, gold, pink, olive green.
• Key Piece: The floral-print, one-shoulder wrap minidress made us want to book a trip to the islands, stat.
• Accessories: Jeweled and studded ankle-wrap sandals, silver necklaces, stacked bracelets.
• Who Should Wear It: The ultimate It girl crowd — Kate Bosworth, Poppy Delevingne, and Miranda Kerr.

The new venue Hotel National des Invalides had "Dior" written simply, dramatically across the front as a fashion crowd that included everyone from Kanye to Leelee Sobieski made their way inside for Raf Simons's latest lineup. That in itself is a big way to start a show — the evidence of some pretty high expectations for Simons's Spring debut, which happily lived up to the hype. Raf knows how to excite, but it's not for show either; it's modern and wearable, giving Dior a contemporary edge that hasn't been there for a long time. Hemlines were shorter and dresses were sexier, though the most obvious nods to the future were in Raf's pearlescent, iridescent fabrications that covered tops and microminis. It was an awesome play with proportions and silhouettes that Simons masterfully crafted with reimagined suiting — blazers as dresses, slashed pleats, new iterations of Dior's ladylike jackets. Then, the collection gave way to the real head-turners, minimalist shifts and strapless A-line dresses electrified with a flash of neoprene and a whimsical, pearl-like shimmer. The sheer and lace overlays were both entirely feminine but not girlie or precious; they were cool. Even the eveningwear was cool: uniquely crafted and displays of tulle and embellishment used sparingly, just enough to spark interest on — but not overwhelm — a black cocktail dress. For the finale, we got a little more volume and glamour, but it was all elegant and tempered, giving us the most modern rendition of the ballgown with slim, semisheer tops and full skirts covered in iridescent florals. These may be the pieces the Hollywood set turns to for dressing up, but the collection in its entirety proved Raf is adept at building a collection and a design house capable of far more. The pieces in this lineup could take you well beyond red-carpet appearances and the elite cocktail-party circuit (if, of course, you can afford a piece).

• Trends: Iridescent fabrications, suiting, stripes, sheer and lace overlay, asymmetrical cuts, and peplum.
• Colors: Iridescent pastels, charcoal gray, black, white, a flash of bright citron, orange, and fuchsia.
• Key Piece: The pearlescent dresses and tops were brilliant; we also loved the smart, sexy plays on suiting.
• Accessories: Scarves, pointed-toe pumps, metallic heels, metal cuffs, classic handbags.
• Who Should Wear It: The iridescent violet asymmetrical mini was made for Diane Kruger; attendee Leelee Sobieski should wear the white blazer-style dress.

Check out all the pictures from Anne Valerie Hash's Spring 2013 collection, and come back soon for our full review.

Roland Mouret's latest collection revisited the '80s in more ways that one, but let's start from the beginning. His first look — a strong-shouldered red blazer with a matching split-front pencil skirt — set the tone for sharp lines, saturated hues, and geometric shapes. From there, Mouret sent out equally striking silhouettes, some with asymmetrical necklines, some with ultradraped hems, but all cut close to the body in his signature formfitting style. He experimented with both textural dimension and fabric dye, with the latter resulting in mud-dyed silks appearing magically leather-like. While we're sure we'll see established fans of the label (think Beyoncé or Carey Mulligan) wearing his sexier minidresses and intricately twisted sheaths, we're dying to see who dares to take on that slick maroon top and green tapered pant combo. See Roland Mouret's Spring '13 lineup, in full, when you keep clicking.

It seemed the cloudy Paris skies cleared for Lanvin, and on this Friday night at 8PM, L'Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Artes, one of the gazillion gorgeous buildings in Paris a center for classic French art, was lit up against a navy sky and a bright full moon. It was the perfect setting for one of the most fun shows of Paris Fashion Week. Why? Because Alber Elbaz and team know how to make a show feel like a party. The runway, a pretty raw setup of scaffolding, bleacher seats, and a metal raised runway, dominated a gigantic glass-domed, tiled courtyard that featured Greco-Roman statues in each corner of the space. It was an interesting dichotomy of classic and beautiful and industrial. Everything else was cushy — literally the bleachers were covered in cushions, and tuxedo-clad waiters served macarons, tea sandwiches, and champagne in floral-painted glasses. It was a high-energy crowd that included the great Catherine Deneuve and the always chic Rachel Zoe. Now to the show: it opened with a series of black and white tuxedo-inspired looks. It was high glamour, one of the highlights being a heavily-embellished jumpsuit worn by Kristen McMenamy, whose gray, almost white hair fell past her waist. The show closed in jewel tones, with structured apron dresses that tied on the side. There was a distinct Japanese reference, but it was done subtly, via obi belts and kimono-ish shapes. I don't know that I would call the collection zen — rather, it was fun and sexy, like the asymmetric swimsuit worn with slouchy pants and heels, or the dresses that tied loosely on the side to reveal a hint of skin. There was also plenty to admire in the accessories department; thanks to the raised runway, everyone got to see the dangerously high irridescent platform ankle-strap heels and the little purses that resembled both girly perfume bottles and a tiny cartoon bomb. Overall, it was a superbly fun show with plenty of Parisian glamour for all.