The runway trends for Fall/Winter 2012

The Express Tribune picks up trends from international, local runways touted to be big for Fall/Winter season.

ISLAMABAD:

Autumn/Winter is upon us and the time to replace summer tunics with heavy winter outerwear is here. The Express Tribune picks up trends from international and local runways that are touted to be big for Fall/Winter season. Have a look:

Military chic

Military inspired looks will be hot this fall, while one can go for sleek one-piece dresses – like the ones Victoria Beckham showed on the runway – or do it Jason Wu style, whose China inspired collection paired pants and coats with embellished shoulders. The key essence of military inspired look is to keep the edginess and sharpness to the whole ensemble and deter from ruining the look with heavy accessorising.

Outerwear

Fall/Winter season is all about covering up and staying warm along with looking sharp and keeping the style element alive. A good trench or a stylish coat will not only keep your body warm but it will supplement your fashion needs too.

From trenches and coats to woollen stoles and ponchos, designers presented fashionistas with innumerable outerwear options. Models at Marc Jacobs and Oscar de la Renta shows flaunted beautifully coloured stoles; while at Gucci, models sported wonder women capes.

The best way to rock this look is to pair a vibrantly coloured outerwear with a neutral dress.

Velvet

Velvet exudes luxury. A fabric that is almost a no go option for summer, works perfectly well to combat the winter cold. Velvet was all over the Fall/Winter runways.

From Dolce and Gabbanna to Rachel Zoe, the trend was observed in profusion. The best and safest way to wear velvet is in the form of coats and blazers in various colours, which are not only easily available but are tremendously stylish too.

Flare pants

Fashion should always be an ode to vintage. Timeless looks and trends from past decades will never go out of vogue. One such trend that was spotted in abundance at Fall/Winter shows was the 70’s flare pants.

Flare pants give a very formal vibe and are quite suitable for semi-formal wear. The dramatics of wide bottom call for a standard black and grey colour, paired with closed-fitting top to balance the volume. While Ralph Lauren and Rachel Zoe had plenty in their fall shows, a home front Muse and Elan showed some in gold tones and embellishments.

Leather

Every designer, from Diane Von Furstenberg and Alexander Wang to Calvin Klein and Givenchy, used leather one way or the other in their Fall/Winter collections.

Leather is definitely a tough garment to pull off and the colour choices are limited but it’s definitely a must have for every closet. It emits a hard, strong vibe and renders a toughness and raw edginess to the whole attire.

Suits

Menswear inspired suits for women will be really big this fall. A lot of designers flaunted the concept of suits for women. Leading from the front is Donna Karan, whose entire collection consisted of high-waisted pants with wide lapels and structural blazers with wide hounds tooth lapel.

To exercise this trend for fall, ladies can go for sharp and sleek pant suits in dark hues with shirts in bright colours peeking underneath, giving the overall attire a suave and luxurious look.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2012.                

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