In the midst of post-World War I prosperity, the Roaring '20s were all about new technologies, jazz music, speakeasies, and a flippant attitude. For fashion, this meant simple elegance: feathers, pearls, boas, flapper dresses, bucket hats, and brooches. Weddings were much more informal than in earlier eras — gone were the corsets, tossed aside in favor of drop-waist dresses that showed a bit of Read more

If not for Vivienne Westwood, rocker chicks would have nothing to wear — and for Fall 2012, Westwood gives them plenty in the form of tulle, tartan, and t-shirts. Westwood always has a knack for wonderfully peculiar tailoring, in this case it's seen on sharp, angular blazers that look like origami structures and gigantic silhouettes, which for Fall are layered and oversized and bring to mind Read more

For Missoni's Fall 2012 collection, designer Angela Missoni was inspired by a mix of urban influences and an immersion in nature and landscape. According to show notes, the woman of Fall '12 is a "heroine in a concrete jungle," and conceives fashion as an "evocative adventurous fantasy" while maintaining a strong-willed, sophisticated yet sensitive vibe. The collection was, of course, loaded with Read more

Raf Simons bowed out at Jil Sander with a soft pastel palette and minimalist silhouettes for Fall 2012. His finale — a modest showing of femininity in truly modern proportion — was met with a standing ovation. The trick was subtlety in both color play and the measure of each silhouette — colors were rich, but soft; cutouts were sexy, but never overt. There was grace and balance in every Read more

For Bottega Veneta's Fall 2012 collection, Tomas Maier showed us his take on wearable luxury, highlighting sleek suiting, sharp coats, and an impressive batch of evening wear. “The look is covered up and the materials are virtually impenetrable, yet the effect is powerfully physical,” said Maier. Day wear focused on tailored coats, cropped trousers, and skirt suits featuring brooch-adorned Read more

The Versace Fall 2012 collection was all about the Rooney Mara goth chick-meets-Joan of Arc goddess hero, right down to the bluntly cut bangs and barely-there eyebrows. But this no-nonsense kind of girl certainly knows how to dress up. The dark palette and edgy shapes were inspired by brother Gianni's final collection, "an era," Donatella said she finally had "the courage to go back to." The Read more

Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Fendi joined forces to create an apocalyptic-chic collection for Fall 2012 — the wintery, forest-inspired vibe was evident, as models walked the runway in luxe layers of patent PVC and colored fur, looking gorgeously aggressive and ready for battle. Most of the pieces looked as if they had been literally cut from different cloths — oversize fur coats with contrasting Read more