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.

scarves.

i got an email sometime last week 'bout a website/brand hawking printed silk scarves - beta fashion.

very almost passed it over cos i'm not a scarf person, but in the name of procrastination i clicked the link and took a glance.

good choice.

sure, the scarves are lovely, the prices affordable, and the prints interesting*; but it was the other items up for sale that caught my eye.

first, the scarves - all 100% silk; all £35:

see? great prints.

but note the clothing!

printed bodycon numbers and interesting graphic tees a-plenty...

the lamé tee here (pic 5) is fantastic (and £24 in the sale), but as are dresses 2, 3 and 6. (2+3 being £80 and 6 being £98 in the sale. sigh. pennies.) and are definitely my kinda jam.

the webshop also stocks a plethora of printed leggings (all about £40) if that's your thing...

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* the press release happily informs me that "contributing designers range from graduates of Central St. Martins to independent artists from all over the world"; and also that competitions for prints run every month. i believe anyone can enter, so click through if you're a print designer or have an interest in the sort of thing.

northumbria 2010; part three - print & textiles

A bunch of print collections now.
Some of the womens, and indeed mens colletions had loads of printwork (which was a bit of a first, cos usually the print room is full of print students, but this year they did a lot of digital print so there was more room for everyone! How exciting.), but these are the specifically print students. Usually their collections are simpler shapes with bright and often complicated prints - I guess everyone is 'breaking the rules' this year...

Sophie Dee

SO CUTE. A balloon as a prop? Yesyes. A hint of Prada in that first look; loved the collar/print combo in the second.

Jenny Laura Briggs

Vidi the ruffle-y shoulder thing. Big fan. Dark prints are kinda unusual, no?

Ludmila Maida

This is pretty close to what I expect of a print collection - but with gorgeous structural details like the plaited neck pieces, and the colour mixes are pretty interesting.

Faye Chamberlain

Again with the wonderful bright colours, this time with structures and sequins/shiny bits to highlight certain sections. I really wish these photos had turned out better cos the colours in this were so beautiful and bright...

Angharad Griffiths

Matching shoooooes!

Cherry Kathryn Cumberland

Sparklessss!

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