Colour, Sensuality And A Hint Of '20s At Maria Grachvogel

Naomi Mdudu — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 01:31:59 GMT

The twenties served as strong starting point for Maria Grachvogel for fall, but not in the literal way that we saw at the shows last season. This translated on everything from cropped sleeve gold tops and skirts to the streamlined silhouettes of dresses and the polished look of the hair. Though the designer turned to the decade for inspiration, as always, she did it in her own way.

Having such a distinctive point of view can stifle many designers but its something that Grachvogel has done so well over the years. For fall all of her signatures were there but in updated forms. The green tones that usually dominate on her classic prints gave way to volcanic tones that immediately felt winter-appropriate but vibrant at the same time. Colour was also introduced on the series of gold tops and red on dresses with shorter hemlines than we have seen from her in the past.

What really makes her clothes so special is their functionality. Grachvogel is a designer that is so well in tune with what women want that each season her collections straddle the balance of minimalism and functionality, which is key in these types of austerity, whilst also having the ability to make women feel incredibly confident and sexy. Take the dresses for example. This season several came in simple styles at the front but had cuts out like a big one on the back of one dress that felt more sensual than it did overtly sexual.

THE FASH PACK

Colour, Sensuality And A Hint Of '20s At Maria Grachvogel