S/S 12

S/S 12

10 Crosby Derek Lam

Peter Som

Alessandra Rich

Pierre Balmain

Alexander Wang

Prabal Gurung

Alice

Preen

Alice and Olivia

Proenza Schouler

Azzaro

Rabih Kayrouz

Balmain

Rachel Zoe

Carolina Herrera

Randa Khalil Raad Jewellery

Christian Louboutin

Roksanda Ilincic

Christian Siriano

Roland Mouret

Collette Dinnigan

Shi

Costume National

Tashia

David Szeto

Temperley London

Derek Lam

Theyskens’ Theory

Diane Von Furstenberg

Thierry Mugler

Edun

The Row

MUSE and prior to this edition, we launched a new publication dedicated purely to our Resort designers, Snapshots MUSE. As these Resort collections

Elie Saab

Vera Wang

have grown our repertoire has too. The look book gives you the opportunity to be the first to

Vera Wang Lavender

view the latest trends and designs hitting our stores’ floors. From your positive response, I am

Elizabeth and James Erdem

brand directory

Victoria Beckham

Your MUSE Join us in celebration of the 10th golden edition of

MUSE. As always it is dedicated to designer collections and key looks exclusive at AlOthman, giving you instant access to what

you desire for the forthcoming season. I never expected that MUSE would have grown to such an essential part of AlOthman; all I can say is we are delighted to be able to offer you the opportunity to review such remarkable collections. Following the success of

very appreciative of the acclaim and popularity of

Snapshots

MUSE.

Erin

VICTORIA Victoria Beckham

Hakaan

VPL

Huishan Zhang

Zac Posen

So once again I thank the team and the designers for their help and hard work on this new

Isabel Marant

Z Spoke

J. Mendel

Zero + Maria Cornejo

dimension from an old favorite. I would also like to express gratitude to our fellow readers,

Jason Wu Jonathan Saunders Lela Rose Marchesa Marios Schwab

g our blo t u o k m Chec nblog.co a m h t o l www.a

whose continued encouragement inspires us to create and celebrate our publication, MUSE.

bridal Ashi Carolina Herrera

Matthew Williamson

Christian Louboutin

Michael Angel

Elie Saab

Monique Lhuillier

Marchesa

Naeem Khan

Monique Lhuillier

Nicholas Kirkwood

Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta

Rabih Kayrouz

Peter Pilotto

Vera Wang

Enjoy.

AlOthman

Translucent prints were embraced by Peter Pilotto and Diane Von Furstenberg, and show-stopping dresses finished with luxe detailing color combo that is classically chic yet modern, resulting in a look that

Derek Lam

Prabal Gurung

Peter Pilotto

Christian Louboutin

Christian Siriano

pop of color w

white look does

your entire outfi

ith a turquoise

necklace or a pa

ir of jewel tone

heels.

shades of marigold, canary, and full blown citron yellow on the catwalks

Oscar de la Renta

Christian Siriano

color took center stage in

of Jason Wu, Oscar de la Renta, and Christian

not have

t. Add a over-the-top

bright yellow clothing. The

Siriano’s runways. Brighten up your outfits this Spring and pick up the vibrant hue on garments, bags, and shoes.

Oscar de la Renta

Victoria Beckham

to encompass

sun-kissed skin better than

J. Mendel

The black and

Nothing compliments

Alessandra Rich

Diane Von Furstenberg

Alice and Olivia

VICTORIA Victoria Beckham

Zero + Maria Cornejo

Oscar de la Renta

Alice and Olivia

carries effortlessly from day to night.

ZESTY YELLOW

BLACK AND WHITE VOL.2

graced Oscar de la Renta’s runway. There’s just something about the

atic eye elf a dram es, Give yours thick lash kohl and with black st of the ping the re . while kee summery , light, and look fresh

Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta

runways had brought them back bolder and more dramatic than ever!

Jason Wu

Seeing these two colors in sync never gets old, however, Spring 2012

Oscar de la Renta

colors, and mirror

on an urban safari to bring

Derek Lam

colors in their collections. Ethnic type linear patterns and earthy color combinations are

queen ner jungle in r u o y l k Channe ories: thin ent access m te a er st h wit iles of silv cklaces, p e n l u rf lo s. bold co cktail ring d large co n a s, le g n ba

VICTORIA Victoria Beckham

by wearing tones of blue and green in digitalized and artistic prints; the runway looks of Peter Williamson, and

Jason Wu Peter Som

Proenza Schouler.

Allow the ocea nic colors to flo w by pairing th with your favo em rite nude heels, an d co m pl im en the hue with co t ral or pearlized jewels. Take cu from the Sprin e g models and fin ish off the look with a sleek po nytail or up-do.

Matthew Williamson

Pilotto, Matthew

Michael Angel

Peter Pilotto

as inspired by

10 Crosby Derek Lam

Proenza Schouler

the ocean waves

Monique Lhuillier

Pilotto seemed to have gone

for dresses this season.

Peter Pilotto

invigorating aquatic

Michael Angel, and Peter

back wild tribal prints and

Zac Posen

by diving into

Designers like Derek Lam,

making a loud yet chic choice

Cool down the

summer heat

Jonathan Saunders

Matthew Williamson

Zero + Maria Cornejo

SAFARI CHIC

UNDER THE SEA

Edun

Elie Saab

Proenza Schouler

Nicholas Kirkwood

Vera Wang

Alice and Olivia

Waists were given an instant hourglass shape

with pretty peplums over runway skirts, jackets, dresses, and even jumpsuits! Whether it’s a light ruffle à la Preen, or an exaggerated overskirt as Jason Wu

seen at Jason Wu, this trend is a proven fun and

Huishan Zhang

Marchesa

Jason Wu

Marchesa

Huishan Zhang

GIMME SUM PEPLUM

quirky accent to any minimalist ensemble.

Lela Rose

Preen

Don’t let your sh

oulders and ne ck compete , so avoid tops or jackets with exaggera ted detailing an d ruffles. Just slip into those killer heels with your hands around your w aist and flaunt it! with your waist

THE O BLOG alothmanblog.com

AlOthman Blog is the number one destination for fashion enthusiasts and shopaholics in Kuwait. It provides a daily editorial of the hottest and most sought after designer clothes and accessories carried by AlOthman. This issue, we present you with a special Q&A with Roksanda Ilincic.

A Chat With What are your favorite colors to work with and why?

What's your favorite city? I actually have two favorite cities. Belgrade is where I grew up and will always be home to me in a way. I now live in London though and I love it. There is so much going on in so many cultural fields that you always feel that you are at the centre of something exciting. I love going back to Belgrade for the wonderful food and weather though, it beats London with both.

You have visited the Gulf region before, what was your impression about the women of the region?

What matters to you most as a fashion designer?

That my clothes make a difference to the women wearing them.

Now that you have a baby, do you ever plan on creating a children's clothing line?

Color is hugely important and inspiring to me. I’m afraid that consequently my favorites change every season.

Very beautiful and very expressive in their style. I found them drawn to bold, individual pieces and to having something really unique. They also have such an awareness of quality that they appreciate exquisite craftsmanship and beautiful fabrics.

Most definitely, it is actually already underway so you’ll be seeing it very soon!

Alessandra Rich

Trucolor, extra-sweet and

excessive, the VEGAS woman by Alessandra Rich has just rewound ‘Johnny Guitar’ and she’s dressing, bow at her neck and a belt on her waist, ready to place her poker chips on the table. Sexy, shining and loud, she wears column dresses open on the side with soft drapes that wrap her hips. Lace, paillettes, lurex, cady and crepe de chine are the fabrics that outline her silhouette. Navy blue, black, red, gun metal and cream are the colours that she prefers, when she doesn’t let herself go to the lightness of the colourful polka dots. To disrupt the geometry of the collection there are sudden straight splits in the middle of the skirts, balloon sleeves with layers of organza, micro lace socks, the marinière in lurex and strong gold buckles for the belts. Tell me something nice. Tell me VEGAS.

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Alexander Wang

W

ith a fragmented hand, speed, racing and a sense of endangerment are abstractly captured in the Spring 2012 collection. The speed and velocity of high performance sports like dirt biking and NASCAR racing are reflected through variations of mesh and technical methods of lasering, burn-outs and perforation. The presence of mesh recurs bringing an x-ray effect that encourages fluidity when applied to stiff fabrics and leathers. When shown out of context, fabrics are reinterpreted to feel bourgeois, like double faced organza and silk taffeta. Prints play an important role this season and are repeated throughout the collection, such as a feminine botanical print that is collaged and patterned; in some instances, fade to white. The sports theme is referenced again in a more literal regard in prints that are emblems of stadium seating and roadway signs. A more controlled silhouette is introduced for Spring with cinched waists and oversized panels create a peplum profile. The color palate stays neutral with petrol blue, deep burgundy, chalky white, palm, mint, and a pop of emergency orange. For accessories, underworld sea creatures inspire the range with materials of parrot fish, perch and rubberized stingray.

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Alice and Olivia

For the Spring 2012 collection for

alice + olivia, Stacey Bendet fine tunes her unpredictable style and innovative thinking to create a playfully curated landscape that evokes the notion of a very secret garden. While visually striking and spontaneous, the collection also reads as romantic and free-spirited – referencing a-line shifts, miniskirts, and colors of Palm Beach in the 1960’s and a modern nod to the 1940’s for some chic sophistication – an element intrinsic to Bendet’s animated and dynamic design mantra. “This collection is happiness. It’s playful and spirited and it speaks to what a girl wants to feel like and look like from one day to the next…. sexy, chic, fun. She has personality and so does her clothing,” says Stacey Bendet.

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Azzaro

This collection revisits the heritage of

Loris Azzaro, using his signature looks: The legendary jersey, crepe, the flattering ruching, the metallic piping, the precious Swarovski crystal embroideries, the scandalous black and gold coloring straight from the Studio 54 mixed with sharp silhouettes inspired from the Crazy Horse.

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Balmain

Vegas,

Western style, Elvis…

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Carolina Herrera

The German art movement has

inspired the famous international designer’s new Spring/Summer 2012 collection, where clean lines and vibrant colors play a leading role.

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Christian Siriano

"M

y spring 2012 collection is about casual luxury, the type of looks that work well for the woman who's fond of traveling in style, a mix of luxurious sophistication and ease. I imagine her visiting beaches around the world, traveling to them by air and by sea, and echoing in her wardrobe the things she sees from the shores of Bali, Honduras, or Belize. I thought about the origins of the creatures that come from under those waters, the textures and colors that develop deep in the sea in dark and mysterious depths. I loved the idea that they come from a dark place but develop with such vibrant color and intricate design. Through fabric manipulation, the right tailoring, and using textured brocades and luxe silks, I offer a marriage of feminine and masculine within the same look. A great visual inspiration for this collection was Katharine Hepburn's wardrobe and movement in the 1955 film "Summertime." As Jane Hudson, she arrives in Venice sporting chic white summer dresses, wide-leg men's trousers, and tailored silk blouses. I hope that this collection will similarly inspire any woman who wears it. My goal is, as always, to make my customer feel special when she is getting dressed.



24

- Christian Siriano

"

25

Collette Dinnigan

H

" er beauty drowned me. As I sat before her, I felt I would do anything she asked of me." Anais Nin Dangerously provocative, absolutely revealing, lingerie and lace, fragile and unpredictable, liquid satin, limited edition.

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David Szeto

"S

pring summer 2012 was inspired by Japan, their traditional textile, and mix of prints on traditional Kimonos. There are elements of geishas and Japanese modern day street style. Aluminium chains trim the bottoms of t-shirts jacket and dresses are the street elements, brush strokes in metal studs decorate the bottoms of pleated skirts, dresses and the hems of Kimonos. The cut is close to the body at times and mixed with volume; A-line or Kimono shapes for contrast. The collection also includes pieces from my Archive collection, which are pieces from past seasons made in new fabric or colours, occasionally slightly altered.



28

– David Szeto

"

29

Derek Lam

"W

hen I am doing a little California dreamin’, I am in a beautifully appointed Mid-century home, like the Kaufmann house in Palm Springs, by Richard Neutra. The clean minimal interior, the wide open desert landscape, the informality of living in nature yet also sheltered in rational and soul warming architecture; that is my mind wandering to a place of salubrious comfort. But it’s not all strict lines and raw space. Somewhere, there is Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack crooning by the piano and Angie Dickenson is lounging by a crystal blue pool. Mid-century louche and luxury, in my dreams…

30

"

– Derek Lam

31

Diane Von Furstenberg

"T

he light appears and everything changes.

"

– Diane von Furstenberg and Yvan Mispelaere

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33

Edun

For the Spring Summer 2012 Women’s

Collection Edun juxtaposes iconic floral and African prints, bringing two contrasting worlds together in signature Edun style.

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Elie Saab

Thanks to daring and vibrant

color pairings, summer is looking intense at ELIE SAAB. The show opens with a series of white looks that quickly evolve toward ocre, peach, emerald green and lapis blue. Little by little, a bold color story illuminates daywear, from cape-sleeved chiffon dresses to a perfectly cut, deep purpleblue pantsuit; feminine, sensual pleated crêpe georgette and lace layering on skirts. In counterpoint to diaphanous gowns, graphic lines, precise cutouts and lace inserts offer a new, modern definition of daywear. For evening, a ripple of matte sequins over the bust rivals the allure of a backless dress; day dresses come to life with the discreet shine of pebbles in a riverbed. A series of Klein blue dresses embroidered with unique sequins shimmer with almost stellar depth. A collection of rare ingenuity and detail, created to suggest rather than show.

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Elie Saab

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39

Elizabeth and James

Elizabeth and James Spring 2012

embarks on a nomadic adventure perfect for the girl who needs instantly chic options for her urban jungle. From mixed tribal prints to activewear inspired separates, this season combines garçon chic appeal in slouchy silhouettes, and day-to-night fabrics. Ready-to-wear renders a modern, eclectic wardrobe with tribal motifs, neon pops, sequin Ikat patterns and an infusion of athletica. Silk drawstring culottes, zippered track jackets and menswear trousers with bold racing stripes complete a wearable, urban palette. Suiting is deconstructed in washed treatments and a cocktail of vivid colors. Boudoir-chic kimono dresses and palazzo pyjama pants in Pacific blossom prints escape the bedroom for unexpected street style.

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Erdem

Recalling the stylized

summers of Françoise Sagan's ‘Bonjour Tristesse’ and Wong Kar Wai’s ‘In the Mood for Love,’ Spring Summer 2012 imagines a young girl playfully trying on adult clothes, revealing a transformation from an innocent, modern girl into a Visconti heroine.

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Erin

This season Erin Fetherston's

romantic aesthetic is infused with bold color and vivid print, expressing a cheerful and sprightly mood for Spring 2012. Inspired by the clean and modern silhouettes of the sixties, Fetherston takes Mia Farrow as her muse. The designer offers a series of re-imagined shift dresses in structured fabrics like cotton pique, cotton silk, guipure and metallic jacquard in addition to her iconic assortment of lighter than air dresses in fabrics like chiffon, voile, and lace. Embellishment is a key part of the story, with an intricate medley of pearls, sequins, rhinestones and beads adorning necklines and plackets. Fetherston's signature mix of ivory, blush, black and navy is intensified with sorbet inspired shades of popsicle pink, tangerine, and lemon meringue. Butterflies are the principle motif for the season, presented in oversized prints on chiffon and in graphic repeat on charmeuse. Fetherston ultimately creates a collection of easy to wear pieces that are fresh, poetic and playfully chic.

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Hakaan

The collection is about a

futuristic touch of Africa. The cuts, embroidery and details were the proofs that African influences doesn't need to be interpreted as ethnic. This season, Hakaan has re-interpreted the African prints on the embroidery and the volumes on the skirts and dresses in such a modern way that their 'ethnicity' seems to fade away. Touches of neutral colors as black, white, beige and a glimpse of yellow remains us of the nature. Hand sewn embroidered pieces in gold revisited the classical African hand made embroidery with a modern touch. Natural fabrics such as silk, crêpe, silk chiffon, organza and satin is a journey from the ancient era to another modern, futuristic and unexpected.

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Isabel Marant

"B

aroudeuse chic.



48

"

- Isabel Marant

49

Jason Wu

For his Spring/Summer 2012 Collection,

Jason wanted to combine iconic Haute Couture shapes with Pop Art influences. The graphic contrast of the opposing concepts is a strong theme of the collection. He plays with graphic Pop Art references and a bold color statement throughout the collection. Jason collaborated with artist KAWS on a floating petal print bestowed with the artist’s signature “hands” motif, a playful nod to the workmanship and the number of hands involved in creating a garment. Vibrant colors play a prominent role in the collection including shocking pink, electric blue and pop yellow that are shown on dresses, skirts, and cloudlike evening gowns. Jason worked with Swarovski Elements to create abstract three dimensional “electrified” embroideries mixed with laser cut sequins to reinforce the Pop Art reference-taking beautiful techniques and injecting them with a jolt of modern energy. For evening Jason created an ivory houndstooth lace top and re-embroidered it with ivory bugle beads to create depth and texture, the idea of reinterpreting the original material harks back to the collection theme. The finale features floating gazer gowns in an array of pop colors. The bold color palette carries over into accessories with blue and green “painted” python handbags. The photonegative floral print is shown in a leather handbag. The black laceup stilettos and multi-strap sandals with ankle-cuff offers a tough contrast to the feminine silhouette of the collection

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Jonathan Saunders

"1950

's silhouettes meeting the pastelly shades of Miami Beach.

52

"

- Jonathan Saunders

53

Lela Rose

L

ela Rose Spring 2012 centers around the neon graveyard.... the unrestored and broken signs that dot the landscape of Las Vegas and Coney Island. Bleached metallic tweed, stripped paint twill, and washed out voile recall what was a garish glow of the new that have now faded overtime to tell a story of what was. Letter blocked silhouettes and chipped embroidery evoke the weathered stacked signs of Las Vegas, while cyclone prints, carnival stretch cotton, and dotted blocked knits bring a Coney Island “funhouse” vibe. Guipure light bulb lace, fringed organza, and border jacquards, highlighted in colors such as faded lemon, periwinkle and neon tangerine, give an electric buzz to the collection.

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Marchesa

The mood and palette of Marchesa’s Spring

2012 collection is inspired by a painting of a deep sea world entitled Sadko in the Underwater Kingdom. In this painting, artist Ilya Repin beautifully portrays a scene of an ethereal and exquisite under water fantasy. To translate the aura of this image the collection blends tulle, chiffon and translucent colored mesh with custom accents such as scale like embroidery, silk fish thread work and hand sculpted metallic and silk fringe cascades. A series of Ernest Haeckel drawings of flowing tentacles and multicolored jellyfish also served an inspiration for the collections various embroideries and dress artwork.

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Marios Schwab

The spring summer 2012

collection is inspired by the stark contrast between light and dark - Chiarascuro. It is an attitude embodied in the shaded faces of Film Noir heroines, in the women of Mediterranean Neorealist cinema and in the photography of Herb Ritts.

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Matthew Williamson

W

hat might a city dweller dream of when she imagines hot climes and holidays? Well, hothouse colours, languid silhouettes, and come dusk, something sensational – feathers, sequins, and incredible embroideries – to set the night ablaze, of course. This season, Matthew Williamson has his heroine dreaming of Japan. Eschewing notions of traditional kimonos and obi belts (Williamson’s girl is an individualist at heart who plunders from a global melting pot of ideas and inspirations) – the starting point of spring/summer ’12 comes from a less obvious source: Japanese textiles, ceramics, and antique heirlooms. Stylized prints are at the core of this collection, and this season they come highly worked. Williamson’s love of the far flung and exotic, played off against an urban sensibility is always at the fore, and this season those two worlds collide to mesmerizing effect in a single print. A pretty blossom print outlined in a neon haze displays incredible detail – look closer and you’ll see miniature Tokyo night scenes inserted into the silhouetted flowers. Other blossom prints are computer generated and so stretched and distorted that they begin to take on an ikat graphic. These ideas led Williamson to research the work of British artist, Matt Collishaw, feted for his arresting digital imagery, and as a result the third print in this series takes on a more abstract display of form and colour. Larger scale, the blossom buds are supersized and corroded into a neon painterly effect, while finally, other prints are reduced and flipped vertically to make a mirror image.

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Michael Angel

"P

rints and colors this season are inspired by 1920's photographs of Alexandria and personal family photographs. It is an examination of my heritage; a once decadent civilization I've revisited with an understated embellishment that is almost futuristic. Technology and progression in fabrication and printing techniques echo the advancement of the Ancient Egyptians.

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"

- Michael Angel

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Monique Lhuillier

"S

pring 2012 is all about bold saturated colors with a sporty athletic edge. With women more into fitness and healthy lifestyles. I compliment their physique using intricate seaming to outline the body. The use of color blocking and accents of leather add an unexpected edge. Evening is all about sexy silhouettes, open backs, cut-outs with lace insets, and graphic prints infused with cadmium yellow and cobalt blue.



66

"

-Monique Lhuillier

67

Naeem Khan

"O

ld Hollywood with a Spanish twist.

68

"

-Naeem Khan

69 69

Nicholas Kirkwood

Nicholas Kirkwood's inspiration for Spring Summer 2012 is derived from the concept of a

spring garden of bold colours and the idea of soft femininity. 'I just wanted to present styles that were lighter and more feminine' says Kirkwood. Nicholas Kirkwood instills the idea of dark romanticism with engineered prints in bold colours that subvert the lighter feel of the garden inspiration with 'corseting' on the toe and heel, and manipulates what appears to be a garden of flowers, but is in fact birds with their wings spread. The collection also focuses on transparent and irridescent materials, and Kirkwood creates volume coming off the foot to recreate floral forms in a variety of silhouettes. The SS12 collection also introduces lower heel heights and a flat slipper in an array of colours that embody Nicholas Kirkwood's precise attention to line, proportion and sophistication.

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Oscar de la Renta

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Oscar de la Renta

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Oscar de la Renta

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Peter Pilotto

"A

n amazing trip through the Java Island, through jungles, tea, coffee, cacao and tree plantations, volcano craters and sulphuric smokes. What an incredible adventure...

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-Peter Pilotto

"

79

Peter Som

"S

pring 12 is all about bold saturated colors and hyper-feminine prints mixed with super-clean geometric silhouettes.



80

- Peter Som

"

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Prabal Gurung

This season draws from Nobuyashi

Araki’s photographic series, “Sensual Flower.” These flowers are beautifully subversive, layered, and at further glance are very representative of Araki’s work – nuanced with a feminist twist and perverse undertone. The pieces are beautifully crafted with quiet strength and femininity expressed through Gurung’s signature attention to form, structure and detail. For the seventh consecutive season, the collection is styled by Tiina Laakkonen with casting by John Pfeiffer.

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Preen

Virginia, Preen’s Spring/ Summer 2012

collection is titled for their musings on English author Virginia Wolfe. Thornton and Bregazzi’s directional brand of quiet luxury continues to explore their perennial themes of proportion and modernity in kaleidoscopic hues.

Handcrafted flounces lend structure to the simple silhouette. These delicate compositions in faggoted silk and crepe bestow a scarce romanticism on the bold geometry of the prints. Like modern heirlooms the botanical prints and paisleys are digitalized and feature on separates layered with a metallic pixilated organza. The symmetrical monochrome print is scattered in antique beading and sequins. Heavy lace is textured or laminated. Preen flirt with the placement of the waistline: deftly switching from high and ladylike, cut close to the body to fluidity and the drop-waist. Their sense of tailoring remains. A lemon coloured trouser suit sits low and loose fitting. Light, delicate and powerful: nothing to be afraid of.

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Proenza Schouler

Inspired by mid-century futurism and America’s lost architecture, the spring 2012 collection contrasts an ultra-feminine silhouette with retromoderne motifs. Tailored suiting is reworked in double face nylon jersey. Crochet and laminated knits are contrasted with embroidered raffia and striped eel. Sulfur, powder blue and bottle green tech crepe suiting is accented with contrasting prints and smocking details, followed by fern and hibiscus-printed tops, skirts, pants and dresses. Eel skirts worn with embroidered tulle tops and dresses close the show. Platform shoes, a combination of synthetic materials like rubber and stingray with a faux-wood finish, are worn throughout, and paired with handbags ranging from metallic oversize duffles, to stingray and woven tiki clutches and leather camera cases.

ve to

Exclusi

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Rachel Zoe

"M

y goal with this collection was to make fashion accessible to those who love luxury and glamour. The concept for the collection was modeled after the glamour and edge of my '60s fashion icons like Brigitte Bardot and Edie Sedgwick mixed with the styles of '70s bohemian goddesses like Bianca Jagger and Faye Dunaway. I wanted to match their playful ability to mix gowns, tweeds, furs and tuxedos with everyday pieces - putting a modern spin on classic silhouettes.

90

"

- Rachel Zoe

91

Roksanda Ilincic

Sporty couture is shaping up to be a big trend for

Spring, but it's something Roksanda Ilincic began injecting into her cocktail-y fare last season. The way Ilincic does it, however, the reference isn't as literal as we've seen in the past couple weeks. Her main concern, she said backstage, is how to make the old-school craftsmanship and silhouettes that she reveres relevant to a modern woman. Perhaps a more apt term would be sportswear couture. That means casual chic, exquisitely considered. That high-low merger isn't a new concept, but when done right, it can be the ultimate in luxury. Take a boxy T-shirt cut in peony pink silk gazar tucked into a beautifully gathered paper-bag skirt, all pulled together with a bright rope belt and a groovy beanie knitted from silk faille ribbons. The sophisticated slouch -emphasis on sophisticatedhad newness to it. The designer experimented with fabrics, too. A boyish little suit was cut from navy and white raffia. The nubbly textured fabric pieced with silk on tees and drop-shouldered coats looked like bouclé but turned out to be terry. A navy crinkle cotton isn't something you expect here, either, but looked pretty fab in a knotted-waist dress and sweatpants. Still, her color sense is sharp, so within the context of the collection, it formed a cohesive whole.

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Roland Mouret

It's about finding that tiny corner of

paradise for your summer holiday - those little corners that still exist, perhaps a little village in the South of France, that have not yet been made all shiny and mass market by tourism. These clothes are about making it your responsibility to dress for that view of paradise - it's a crafty attitude to the clothes, a touch of the bohemian attitude that lets you be part of that postcard.

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Temperley London

Spring Summer 2012 draws inspiration from

the silver screen, namely Grace Kelly in High Society and movie stills of Michelle Pfeiffer in Scarface. The resultant collection is elegant, sensual and ultra glamorous.

A play on transparencies is combined with a supremely feminine silhouette that is both elongated and body conscious. Soft tuxedo looks are given a twist, with tailored satins that sit alongside crystal encrusted gowns, creating a synergy between both day and evening and giving the collection a new focus on luxury. The result is a decadent, high octane collection of timeless pieces that are integrally Temperley in celebration of their tenth anniversary.

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Theyskens’ Theory

H

ow should a cool girl dress? And what pieces should be put together to create the right silhouette with the right proportions with a specific jacket or pant? All these questions were what drove Olivier Theyskens’ inspiration to create the spring-summer 2012 collection for. The looks are put together by thinking of how women combine shapes, fabrics, and styles: a tweed jacket with a slouchy low waist washed denim, a little black dress with a leather jacket, casual shorts with a fitted suit jacket… Basics become special and unique with an extra something to give each piece a twist: classic tweeds with a hint of iridescence or clutch-pockets, embroideries embellish a classic cardigan, shiny silks contrast with washed-out denims, hand-embroidered delicate lace confront super casual jerseys, traditional hand crochet juxtapose ultra modern nylon gauze… The girl knows what she likes to wear and finds the right way to put those pieces together, making her style relaxed, yet elegant; smooth, yet stylish; ultra modern, yet chic; never aggressive and not overly fashionable!

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Thierry Mugler

This season’s Mugler womenswear

collection is based upon the idea of stream of consciousness and abstraction. Taking as a starting point the notion of the desert and its fluidity, the collection traverses such diverse influences as Georgia O’Keeffe and her Ghost Ranch, the films ‘Dune’ and ‘Zabriskie Point’, Grecian drapery and ceremony as well as deconstructed memories of Mugler past. ‘We are essentially deconstructing a remembered history of Mugler rather than a ‘real’ archival one – it is about remembering rather than studying,’ says Mugler’s Creative Director Nicola Formichetti. ‘It’s the things that really struck me about what Thierry Mugler was doing when I was growing up that have had such an impact on me. It is that idea of recollection when I was a teenager that I was interested in. It is about emotion and memory and something forming and abstract rather than complete. This is what is reflected in the clothing. I wanted it to be essentially about the clothes this season. We concentrated on the idea of the silhouettes.’

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Vera Wang

A

n exploration of tailoring and transparency – collages of texture and detail..18th century French wallpaper distored to abstract effect while pale macarons and aggressive hem brights prodvide a “trippy” counterpoint to the modernity of pure whites.

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VICTORIA Victoria Beckham

The new line ‘Victoria, Victoria

Beckham’ represents the free spirited side to Victoria Beckham and is a seamless progression from the Victoria Beckham ready-towear. Inspired initially by the cartoon character Emily the Strange, ‘Victoria, Victoria Beckham’ offers a range of dresses that are relaxed and fun and impeccably constructed in the finest fabrics. Colours and colour blocking feature heavily alongside an interjection of new conversational prints that have been painstakingly developed to reflect the personality of the collection. The Cutie-cat and Victoria Cat prints are key in encapsulating the playful mood of the range, while the cloud and moon motifs that feature embrace a more sophisticated element. Victoria says, “This new line serves to channel my inner girl – it is fun and young with a distinct sense of humour. I wanted to create a collection that reaches out to a new customer. The Victoria range can’t help but make you smile with its energy and personality”.

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Victoria Beckham

For Spring/Summer 2012 the

Victoria Beckham ready to wear collection offers a strongly focussed range of dresses and outerwear. Taking inspiration from geometric lines while enhancing these with her own take on elegant sportswear and her synonymous signature silhouettes, Victoria has created a clean collection full of intricate yet subtle detailing that reflects her strong yet simple approach to the season. Powerful yet quietly applied structure is apparent from the fitted forms of the signature dresses through to the relaxed volumes and lines of the outerwear, while the drop waist is a key feature that can be seen not only in feather light pleat skirts but is also carried through in seam details and colour block applications.

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Zac Posen

Inspired by the female form, this

collection incorporates archetypal feminine techniques such as ruffles, embroidery, and lace, with Zac Posen’s signature silhouettes and construction. Vibrant colors of peony, celadon, and blade green, combine with floral bouquet prints and detailed corded embroidery to create a collection perfect for the American royalty of today.

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Zero + Maria Cornejo

I

“ love the feeling of an urban summer; fabrics that feel like the beach but toughened up somehow - just a bit edgier”, says Maria Cornejo. A calculated notion of urban structure as layers fold and pleat; volume flattens out and gets a toughened up edge. There is a new deliberation in the draping - closer to the body – a rigid bright colored belt tucked through a printed silk dress or skirt adds a bit of hardness and controls the fluidity. Colors have the bold intensity of summer heat - yellow, scarlet, clementine, under the clearest blues of a summer sky - bic, cobalt, Yves Klein. But then, to cleanse the palette: the calm of optical white, chalk and silver and the graphic lines of a clashing jacquard in black, ink, red and white. Digital prints are this time from photographs taken during a visit to the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris. A Bolivian Devil becomes a blur of neon yellow abstraction; an African headdress becomes a brilliant red, white and black Feather Print; and the Geo Print in cobalt silk or in monotone ink and silver cotton twill, started as a workman glimpsed setting up an exhibition.

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AlOthman Maryam Complex, Salem Al-Mubarak Street, Salmiya, Kuwait Tel + 965 2575 4954/5 AlOthman Bahrain Moda Mall - Sheraton Manama, Bahrain Tel +973 17 532 762 / + 973 368 10202 AlOthman Bridal Maryam Complex, Mezzanine Floor, Salem Al-Mubarak Street Salmiya, Kuwait Tel + 965 2575 4958 AlOthman Outlet Maryam Complex, Mezzanine Floor Ready to Wear: +965 2575 4953 • Accessories: +965 2575 4960 www.alothmanoutlet.com AlOthman & Tabiat Fashion Co - Head Office P.O.Box 8644, Salmiya 22057, Kuwait Tel + 965 2575 4962/63 / Fax + 965 2575 4956 For inquiries email: [email protected]

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Maryam Complex - Mezzanine Floor, Salem Al-Mubarak Street, Salmiya, Kuwait - Tel + 965 2575 4958

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Maryam Complex, Mezzanine floor

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Ready to Wear: +965 2575 4953 • Accessories: +965 2575 4960

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