Geoffrey Mac F/W 2012: Rockn' Roll Mod!

Reminiscent of Paco Rabanne's avant-garde designs and Pierre Cardin's fearless use of colors, Geoffrey Mac's Fall/Winter 2012 collection was a gorgeous combination of hard-edge rocker, beautiful mod, and feminine baby-doll silhouettes all combined with visually stunning colors and modern textile. This collection was a perfect marriage of vintage inspiration modernized through the creative vision of the designer. Visually stunning colors of teal, blue, crimson, black, yellow, and khaki produce such a wonderful glam rock story.

Throughout the collection, leather, silk, and wool were the dominant figures on the runway. I found it so intriguing how skillfully the designer combined such a hard texture like leather with silk and produce a beautiful work of art that's both strong and feminine.

Great examples of the well executed juxtaposition of strength and femininity are the figure flattering leather dresses complimented by the cropped leather jackets with the amazing shoulder details, and the baby doll dresses with leather trims and detailing. What I enjoyed most was that each piece whether worn separate or accented with an accessory or jacket, still made a stunning impact by itself.

One can't help but recall the days when David Bowie took stage in his skin tight, colorful, rock n roll ensembles and the crowd overcome with frenzy falling to their knees in tears. Geoffrey Mac's F/W 2012 strikes that cord of being daring yet so amazing it takes one's breath away.

I do look forward to seeing the evolution of the designer and what other avenues and experiences may inspire his future collections, but one thing is certain I know that none will ever be expected or boring- somehow I have a feeling that any collection to follow will be just as attention grabbing and visually climactic.

Corey Lynn Calter F/W 2012: Color Me MOD!

Designer Corey Lynn Calter uses pops of color and the vision of 'bright lights' as inspiration for her F/W 2012 collection. Piercing bright colors incorporated in this 1960's MOD revival is a definite breath of fresh air in the usual dark and brooding color pallette for the Fall/Winter season.

When taking in the collection one can't help but be reminded of Halston, Mary Quant, and Pierre Cardin and their mastery of the whole MOD era and how they skillfully blend colors and use of color blocking. Yet, one can clearly see the unique voice and story that Calter is conveying. I am in love with the designer's use of fluid materials, impeeccable pleating details, and cropped jackets. For this collection the designer used three color stories that complimented each other very well. The Coral Story, The Evergreen Story, and the Orchid Story all played an intricate role in the entire vision; one can't help but fall in love with the bursts of color and youthful personality of each ensemble.

One of my favorite look was the abstract stripe pleated sleeve dress (pictured directly below right), part of the Evergreen Story, I found that the dres had such an amazing transitional quality where a woman can wear it work, and transform it for a fun night out of town. The combination of colors are beautiful, and the attention to detail on the pleating of the sleeves was simply gorgeous.

Another favorite look was part of the Orchid Story, the fur trimmed coat with color blocked pleated midi skirt exudes such a refined woman, but maintained a youthful vibe. I am thrilled to see the asymmetrical wrap detail on the coat with the side button; it gave it such a unique appeal.

Overall, I enjoyed the collection for its unique concepts, on trend pieces, and the fact that it didn't blend with the rest of the color pallettes for Fall/Winter, being unique and stepping outside the box is definitely appreciated in this industry.