Spijkers en Spijkers AW12 Catwalk Collection at London Fashion Week

‘Birds of Paradise’is  a phrase the Dutch use to describe eccentric and colourful people.  The twin sister designers, Riet and Truus,  used American socialite Edie Bovier Beale, a true bird of paradise, as their muse and inspiration for the AW12 collection. 

The style was the early 1940s, but the hemlines were shorter. 

However, the suede belts of circular patches in contrasting shades brought an early 70s hippy feel in to the mix.

Fabrics were the  luxurious silk dupion, silk satin, crepe de chine, silk wool blends and printed silk wool maple.

Ostrich and bird feathers trimmings brought Hollywood glamour as detachable cape like collars. Tulle or feathers flirted with hemlines. Check out the feather embellishments on the shoes!  

Embroidered exotic birds adorned (or should I say perched) jackets, dresses and shirts. 

Colour palette: Ceylon yellow, Bordeaux, lime green, mulberry purple and burnt orange with flashes of black and night shadow blue.

Catwalk photographer Christopher Dadey (last 2 blurry images from fumpu to funky mobile)

For UK London Stockists check out www.spijkersenspijkers.nl website

 

Spijkers en Spijkers Spring/Summer 2012 collection at London Fashion Week

Inspired by the tale of Scheherazade who captured the heart of King Shahryar by her storytelling every night for one thousand and one nights and so sparing her life, this collection translates in to a starry Arabian night.

The colour palette was full of Eastern promise from  high contrasting midnight black and silvery star panels...

....to the softer sandy tones of Sahara beige and ivory harlequin patterns.

An oasis of light sorbet pink and pale lime joined the sandy hues....

whilst the deeper jewelled tones of coral and oriental blue shined against the midnight black.

Hemlines were mainly below the knee and either cut in to geometric zigzag pattern.....

......or slit in to panels.

The shorter skirts were lengthened with long fringing.

It was not all dresses as the cropped trousers and slouchy boyfriend jackets brought a casual elegance to the collection.

Maybe like King Shahryar, you are left wanting more as the models depart and show the stunning backlines of the dresses. 

On some, delicate chain racer backs join the top tip of a star panel whilst on others two stars form the corners of low backs.

And don’t forget to check out the shoes with the half star shapes.

Images by www.christopherdadey.com