'12 SS Temperley London

2012 Spring Summer

Temperley London

Alice Temperley scored the big Pippa Middleton get of the week, though the grand setting of the Royal British Museum atrium was little comparison for the last time we saw the super sister in the label on the evening of the Royal Wedding. Whether it's a residual symptom of wedding fever or simply her natural direction, Temperley's been moving toward a far more dressed-up look. Watching this lovely evening-centric parade of draped satins, beaded French lace, and embroidered organza, it's almost hard to recall that she was known for sweet little sundresses not so long ago.

For Spring, Temperley took her cues from Grace Kelly in High Society as well as Michelle Pfeiffer in Scarface—a different kind of high society. You saw the drug kingpin moll in the languid floral gowns with low draped backs, just-the-right-side-of-tacky sheer plunge-neck jumpsuits, and, of course, head wraps and oversize glasses. Believe it or not, there's quite a bit of high glamour overlap with Tracy Lord and Mrs. Tony Montana, and that was the point. The few non-gown looks were high-waisted satin tap pants, just as glossy and for a daring girl—perhaps more Julia Restoin-Roitfeld than Miss Middleton—a fine alternative to wear to the ball. One came in black and white, part of a smart tuxedo-themed grouping, which was capped by the final look of a high-necked ivory organza dress worked over with tiny cut flowers, crystals, and scallops of ruffled tulle. In other words: There go the grooms, and here comes the bride.

by.Meenal Mistry

style.com

'12 SS Sass & Bide

2012 Spring Summer

Sass & Bide

Clarke and Middleton's love of marrying various elements together was still quite present, only less piled on. The seed of the collection was opposing forces, and in a single look you might find some amalgam of tiny burnished silver sequins, a navy and white batik polka dot, bright silk, a bit of neoprene or metallic leather, and a dash of tribal beading. It sounds like a lot—too much even—but the execution had an almost minimal precision. It seemed as if their magpie urban lass had taken to heart the old Coco Chanel chestnut about taking off one thing (or a few) before you leave the house, but in a macro way. Combing her hair into a sleek, middle-parted chignon didn't hurt the elegance factor, either.Speaking of opposing forces, instead of styling the show themselves as they've done in the past, Clarke and Middleton hired Julia Sarr-Jamois, the Wonderland fashion director beloved by the street-style set for her high-end mix mastery and outsize halo of hair. A stylist's input is a wholly unquantifiable behind-the-scenes element, but from this end, it seemed a smart match. The pair closed the show with a brief debut of their higher-end Gallery collection, perhaps another reason they were feeling for something grown-up. One interesting dress twisted white neoprene into a couture-inspired cocktail dress, just the thing for the fun girl who gets thrown in the pool at the end of the night.

by.Meenal Mistry

style.com

'12 SS Peter Pilotto

2012 Spring Summer

Peter Pilotto

It was a touch disheartening to read in the Peter Pilotto program notes that designers Christopher De Vos and Peter Pilotto had been inspired by a recent trip to Indonesia. You can't fault designers for being on-trend, but you also couldn't help feeling less than overjoyed at the prospect of another round of tropical prints.

And yes, the Pilotto show did include tropical prints. But they were only a part of the larger story told by this collection. De Vos and Pilotto found a fresh way of engaging with the Spring '12 tropical fetish; for one thing, their riff on aquatics and hothouse florals felt lived in, as opposed to merely referential. Take a recurring aquatic print that showed up in various color iterations and suggested the blinkered, surreal, close-up view of the undersea world that comes through a snorkel mask. The collection's florals had a similar immersive feel.With their scuba suit references and sculpted skirts that looked like they were floating, the Pilotto boys could be accused of over-literalizing. It's true that some of their fitted dresses featuring scale prints were a touch too fishy for comfort, and that the mermaid look that closed the show kind of gilded the lily of their waterworld theme. But what kept the complaints in check, for the most part, was the overriding discipline of this collection—the clothes were sharply cut and sexy and had a sporty mien that made everything feel very modern. The floral jacquards and bright, laser-cut pieces were particularly good. Also worth noting: the shoes. A collaboration with Nicholas Kirkwood, the Perspex-heeled, plastic flower-bedecked Pilotto shoes stand to be a big wish list item this season.

by.Maya Singer

style.com