When last I wrote, I was telling of Ken Downing’s recent visit to Las Vegas, when the respected Sr. Vice-President and Fashion Director of esteemed luxury specialty retailer, Neiman Marcus, delivered The Trend Report: Spring 2012 – an invitation-only fashion presentation cum seminar featuring the hottest looks for the season, as seen by downing on the runways of New York, London, Paris, and Milan.

As important as the first trends (Pink, Blush, and Yellow as a Neutral) were those that remained.  We’ll begin with Athletic and Scuba-inspired looks.  Whether sheer sleeveless anoraks worn as layering pieces, elastic-waist yoga pants that draw their cues from men’s haberdashery, the use of big zippers, or form-fitting dresses made from a material not unlike that used to make Spanx – this trend is all over the place, this spring.

Next is the use of Prints – especially Florals.  Now, I know what you’re thinking: Florals for spring; how original.  And, you’re right.  But it’s not just the pastel, Easter-egg colored shades (though the lilacs, periwinkles, and pistachios are there to be sure), but verdant limes and jades, electric poppies and tangerines, and (you guessed it) vibrant fuchsias and magentas, abound.

Another Print story is told through Tribal influences.  Whether their inspiration was drawn from Port-au-Prince or Lagos, geometrics, zigzags, and abstracts told the tribal story that resonated for spring.

The final trend was Gold.  Showing-up in accessories that would tempt Midas, himself, such as cuffs, necklaces, dangling earrings, and armlets; as well as in the garments themselves (whether for daytime, nighttime, or as a bit of trim), gold is all the rage.  Woven through Art Deco, flapper, and Jazz Age looks, these shimmering sensations of golden goodness bring to mind visions of Erté far more than images of a sullen Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna.

But, as any regular reader of mine knows, the most important trend to be heeded is the utter irrelevance of fashion.  Personal expressions of style are far more essential than the length of a hemline or the appearance (or lack thereof) of a peplum.

Echoing this sentiment, last fall, Downing said in an interview with famed auction-house Christie’s, “…at the end of the day, it’s all about surrounding yourself with the things you love.”  And while this was said in the context of interior design, it holds equally true in matters sartorial.

The Trend Report: Spring 2012
Ken Downing – SVP/Fashion Director, Neiman Marcus
Friday, April 13th

Get into it!