Like Isabel Marant was last season, for the Marni resort 2013 collection Consuelo Castiglioni took inspiration from the Wild West. Unlike Marant, though, Castiglioni did what she does so well by tapping into the theme without presenting something that feels too literal. Instead, all things western were given the Marni treatment.
The reference was particularly apparent on a series of decorative shirts but the incorporation of leather pendants with cabochons and golds studs that were used to close them added a modern twist. Teamed with wide leg cropped trousers and equally decorative jackets, the looks where less 1954 'Vera Cruz' and more 2012.
Aside from the masculine tailoring, a handful of trousers came in the slouchy, oversized comfortable fit that we've seen over the past few seasons and were given a feminine twist by the addiition of stylized flower necklaces and while accessories were there, unlike last season the prints were back as the focus.
Drama and Marchesa go hand in hand. Nowadays, you'll be hard pressed not to find one of their statement gowns on any big red carpet. While this has always been their unique selling point, it's this uncompromising glamour that can be also be a downfall. For anyone not attending red carpet events every other night of the week, their designs can often feel inaccessible but that's exactly why their resort collections are so good.
As is becoming common, the collection was a lot more reigned in. Short sleeved dresses were feminine and romantic in bright pinks and were so easy to wear and felt like the perfect baby steps into the brand, and perhaps a sign of what's to come with their upcoming accessible line. The glamour was still there, as was their signature gowns full of tulle but this season it was their white feathered dress that really stood out and the more simple over the knee styles with details like beading along the neckline and accentuates shoulders, which will no doubt have stylists fighting over them.
Excess has always been the language of Roberto Cavalli's mainline. Sometimes the language is loud and OTT; other times he gets it spot on creating pieces that are the perfect combination of ornate detailing and wearability and his Resort 2013 was just that.
The artisanship that Cavalli is known for was on display with the prints but they were not overwhelming. Instead, the collection tapped into the special but accessible quality that has dominated the shows over the past few seasons.
One of the most striking prints he showed was a blue and white design that felt reminiscent of Willow China crockery. On one dress with a thigh high slit came in a particularly bold style, also appearing on open toe ankle boots and on the lapels of a crisp white suit but he also offered the print in a more subdued style on lightweight sleeveless summer dresses. Floral prints also appeared on wide leg trousers and shirt dresses and while the style is something that has continued to pop up for a while now, Cavalli's version is something I'm sure many would happily jump on board with.
If Dean and Dan Caten took us to school with their Fall 2012 collection, for Resort 2013 we were transported to the nineties. Before that starts to conjure up scary memories of your former Dr Martens-clad self, don't worry because the Dsquared² tribute to the era was a more glam than teenage angst.
The duo tapped into the rebellious spirit of the era by showing a collection full of leather outerwear (think Hells Angels) and gold chains and belts piled on for good measure. While the pieces won't be for everyone, as is often the case with the brand, when you look at each pieces individually, there's definitely something there for everyone.
If Alexander Wang's Fall 2012 collection was heavy, his offering for resort 2013 is definitely a palette cleanser and that's something that we've seen across the board this season.
Going through the the collection it quickly became hard to remember the time when we all used to complain about the additional pre-season collections. While the clothes were completely different to what he showed for fall, Wang delivered a perfect offering of relaxed and easy pieces to keep our appetites satisfied before S/S12 comes around again.
Shorts and cropped trousers came in lightweight fabrics, sweaters were ribbed and cool and dresses were often sheer coming in simple button down styles or as a something to throw over other pieces. What works so well is Wang's ability to upscale the basics that he has built his empire on by focusing on details. Crocodile detailing came on the straps of cropped tops and on panels on leather skirts and black jackets and the stamped leather tops that were styled alongside classic tailored trousers help add that little bit extra.
While I loved the Fall 2012 Chloé collection, I was amongst the many people questioning when Claire Waight Keller would put her own stamp on the label and shake things up. Having seen the images of the label's Resort 2013 collection, I've changed my mind.
The collection was everything you would expect from Chloé, feminine, practical and comfortable but that's not actually a bad thing. Like a good loyal pair of jeans, you can easily slip into any of it. What it does show is that Waight Keller is completely at grips with what the brand's DNA and what the Chloé woman wants.
The romantic feel came from pieces like a pair of pink shorts with a a subtly scalloped hemline and a series of white dresses that you will easily be able to rely on season after season; but it wasn't all frills and femininity. Crisp poplin and cotton grosgrain added a sharpness to shirts and blouses, which served as the perfect counterbalance to the girlie pieces.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen may still be on a high after winning big at the CFDA Awards recently but this week they were back to work, presenting the resort 2013 collection of their other line, Elizabeth & James.
As I write this raindrops are gathering along my office windowsill and the tree outside is threatening to come thundering through the window, so yes, basically the weather isn't very good but if it was, this is exactly what I want to be wearing. As has become the norm, the collection played with masculine tailoring but in a feminine way, especially on the lightweight and blouses teamed with tailored trousers and Oxford and on the perfect deconstructed white tuxedo.
Stella McCartney has never been one to follow the pack so yesterday it came as no surprise that she opted for a summer garden party rather than a showroom presentation to unveil her Resort 2013 collection in New York.
Guests, including Anne Hathaway, Solange Knowles, Lauren Hutton and 'Sh*t Fashion Girls Say' personality P'Trique, mingled with the models wearing the clothes while playing fairground games to the sound of the Rebels Brass Band.
Phillip Lim was one of the few designers that didn't work with floral prints for S/S12 but the typically spring print appeared throughout his Resort 2013 collection on everything from simple blouses to along the belt line of tailored trousers. It true Lim style, far from being frilly and girly the prints and the collection as a whole was painstakingly cool.
Like the Proenza Schouler resort collection, the pieces were functional but still interesting. Lim offered up the perfect white shirt dress, a pair of black leather dungarees that I'm desperate to get my hands on now, a great summer white blazer and a pair of easy lightweight trousers that are perfect if you want to cover up but keep cool this summer.
