Reflections on Lanvin Spring Summer 2012 RTW

Fashion is all about reaction. It can be as simple as the reaction of heads turning in the street to notice a great look, but most of all, it is about the reaction of what has gone before. In the 80s, with the fashionable excess that it represented, it ensured that the 90s were all about stripped back, easy to wear simple shapes. Fast forward to recent years and designers have found a new reason to return to the easy simple shapes. It began with Chloe and their wonderful easy pieces which represented a new woman and represented our new way of shopping brought on by a severe recession. Women just didn't want throw away pieces which clearly showed which season they came from, but they wanted investment wear. Pieces which could, with a bit of love and proper care be worn repeatedly in a timeless fashion. I worked in fashion retail pre recession and during the recession and I can see the change in shopping habits amongst those of us on a regular wage. We do not mind spending a bit more, but it has to be an investment. Something to be worn repeatedly that stands the test of time.

For me, lanvin's Spring Summer collection brought me back to the simple shapes of the 90s in classic workwear. The 80s were about sharp dressing, shoulder pads and excessive detailing, but the 90s showed that a woman could still be a woman in the boardroom but yet still kick ass in a pencil skirt. We no longer wanted to be one of the boys, but we wanted to beat the boys at their own game. The most memorable collections in recent years for me, have been the ones that don't overload the senses but give us simplicity in dressing. Last summer it was Jil Sander which showed us that the everyday white T-shirt could be something exciting when teamed with a maxi skirt and a flash of color, Chloe for winter showed us that the long camel coat could be an investment and in doing so, changed the high street into a camel colored wash of skirts, pants, blazers and jackets. This time, I feel Lanvin are showing us workwear which can easily be translated into evening wear.

Shapes, colors and prints are easily put together to create stunning yet simple looks. The focus was also on jewelry which, I must admit seemed to be the biggest excess of the collection. There are in true catwalk style, some looks which are all about the dazzle, but for the most part the look brings me back to the 90s style which has seen a revival on the catwalks in the recent years.

It's also great to see designers not afraid to mix it up a little and put darker colors on the catwalk for Spring Summer. Lanvin's collection was quite dark yet slick for the summer and shows a woman who isn't afraid to experiment with her style and isn't ready to conform to fashion's traditional ideas of AW and SS colors. I do think in presenting a collection of well tailored darker pieces that it has given the Lanvin women a harder edge. You feel as if you would be afraid to tackle this lady in the boardroom or the bar because she knows what she is about and what suits her. Again this collection is about pieces which work together or seperately.

You could imagine these cigarette trousers being worn with a simple T-shirt or a fantastic metallic top. You could also take the waistcoat and place over a dress.