dries.

imgs from style.com

Milan didn't spark any interest, but Paris is here now, so who cares?

Dries Van Noten took the print, and messed with the placement, producing wonky patterns and colour/print blocking in unusual spots. The jacket in look 2 immediately caught my eye, as did the one in look 5, and the trousers in look 8 (hubba).

That said, look 6 is my absolute favourite here. The proportions on every piece are just perfect. And throughout, everything is rendered in this sort of over-saturated sky blue, and khaki, and navy, and grey, and gold - AKA all the colours I will immediately warm too, wherever and whenever they are deployed. Like I said, hubba.

birds and fruits.

imgs from Charlotte Taylor's blog

Following the print theme currently unfolding at venturess, let's talk about Charlotte Taylor, who, for her AW12 collection 'Jamaica Inn' presented - as for her previous four seasons - brightly coloured, quirky repeat prints. Previous collections have featured penguins, lobsters, fish, trees and, err, robots, but this season we're treated to all kinds of birds (Note the black maxi with the multicoloured splotches. Those would be parrots.) and...some sort of fruit that I can't identify 'cos I can't zoom in any further. Grapes? Raspberries?

Now, we already know that I like anything bird related, but the black birds on the yellow background look a little like leopard print at a squint/in a thumbnail (no?) so they're EVEN BETTER than first imagined.

Scarf prints also feature in the collection, which encompasses the kind of cuts I can always get behind - fitted dresses in midi- and maxi- lengths, slim, cropped trousers, button up blouses and full skirts with fitted waists. Wonderful.

And a real owl in the lookbook pics!

everyday items.

all imgs from style.com

I'm not even a big print girl - you know, you've read the catwalk commentary for, like, 6 season now, right? RIGHT?! - but Mary Katrantzou's AW12 show can only be described as jaw dropping and it is definitely necessary to post it up on here posthaste.

Even though it's already been posted on about half of the blogs I follow.

Naja.

Guess I won't bore you with the 'inspired by items you'd find in a drawer' schpeel...oh.

The thing that really got me was the way the prints imply texture and volume, like some sort of magic eye/3D effect - looks 7 and 8 especially, to my eyes. Oh, that, and the floaty pieces. Just LOOK at the movement in look 6.

Of course, the monochromes in looks 11 and 12 are my favourites (12 espesh, as the shape is gorgeous too). You can lead a girl to prints but you can't make her part with cash.

Feast your eyes.

outerwear.

all imgs from style.com

OK, so my main focus at Antonio Beradi wasn't the outerwear, but the RED. It needs capitals. It was all outerwear, all the time at Belstaff though - big surprise.

Beradi showed the stunning and eye-searing red with a perfectly proportioned cropped jacketin grey (look 1), a perfectly pleated poodle skirt (look 2 - can such a futuristic looking skirt be referred to as a poodle skirt? It can now.) and a pale pink coat, which should clash, but sort of works (look 3)? Also with plenty of alliteration, apparently.

The red (!) dress with the flared skirt and tiny shoulder cut out, espesh with that skinny belt (look 3) is flawless - it may be my perfect dress? - and the cut of the grey/black gown (look 7) looks amazingly flattering.

Also, sequin maxi skirts.

Belstaff could give Burberry a run for their money - 'course, they'd need to up their online game massively in order to compete with Burbs, but, yknow, in the practical-outerwear-brand-gone-high-end-with-a-military-twist realm, they're up there.

Brown coat with black leather details (look 3), cropped cable knit (look 5), and black coat with leather details (look 7) - OK, so, anything with leather details - are standouts, as are the bags.

Antonio Beradi

Belstaff

felder felder.

all imgs from style.com

The neon pops in NYC have moved on in London, to the bright shades of orange and red or multi-coloured prints (reminiscent of C Kane, no?) at Felder Felder.

I can't decide if the sepia toned print in the first looks is abstract or photographic (*squints to see a picture if it's the latter*), but it makes for an excellent pair of trousers. Gold leather and chunky knits also feature (look 8), and black punctuates the collection - a simple black maxi skirt makes the print shine in look 10.

The dresses in looks 7 and 9 are my favourites - great cuts in bright, attention grabbing colours/prints. Instant, easy style. The skinny belts just set them off perfectly - my 'always add a belt' motto strikes again.