FASHION Magazine

See all of the trends for spring »

Jump to trend:
VARSITY JACKETS | CUFFLINKS | PATTERNED PANTS | FOOTWEAR

Immerse yourself in maritime hues, oceanic prints and aquatic details.

View the photo shoot »
Go behind the scenes »
The story of the shoot »
Trend report: Water World »

View the runway photos »

Paris feels like the Amazing Race, what with a crammed show schedule, road detours, and invitations that go poof in the night. But what’s Paris without a little drama, oui?

The important thing is that strong themes are already emerging. One is the trend of opulence everyday—like a shimmery brocade skirt with a wool crewneck sweater, as we saw at Marco Zanini’s collection for Rochas. The same idea surfaced at Barbara Bui where a gold foil wrap was worn with navy pants. Don’t save your precious items for special occasions, designers seem to be saying. It’s the fashion equivalent of using your good silver with your everyday china. Do try this one at home.

Welcome to Paris, and welcome to another batch of stunning snaps courtesy of our snap star on the streets, Lewis Mirrett! Yesterday, outside Dries Van Noten‘s Fall 2012 show, Mirrett spotted a myriad of delights, from Anna Wintour‘s luxe-beyond-luxe red fur Prada coat, to Sarah Rutson‘s embroidered floral Celine pencil skirt, to Bette Franke‘s extreme orange lids, still in place post show. Brighten your morning with these glorious photos.

View the photo gallery »

Photorealism, watercolours, freehand sketches, and computer-engineered florals bring originality and emotion to spring’s most eye-catching designs.

View the shoot »

From ladylike lace to colourful clashing prints, we present your complete guide to Spring 2012’s freshest new runway looks.

Start the slideshow »

VIEW BY TREND: SUGAR HIGH | WATER WORLD | GOOD SPORT | FULL BLOOM | CONCRETE JUNGLE | MIX MASTER | GRAPHIC CONTENT | ORANGE CRUSH | WAISTLAND | FINISHING TOUCHES

The final city of FASHION’s spring preview, Paris! We round up the highlights from fashion week in the city of love.

View our editor’s picks »

Prominent on the prêt-à-porter runways—from Dries Van Noten to Etro—prints show no sign of fading into the background. Whether you mix them from top to toe or keep it tame with just a splash, make sure to add a cashmere scarf from New York–based We Are Owls (weareowls.com). Designer Ling Chen’s circus-inspired fall collection features all the unusual suspects—snake charmers, ring masters and even Houdini ($280, at Lynnsteven Boutique, 225 Carrall St., 604-899-0808, lynnsteven.com).

By Laura deCarufel

Michel Gaubert has a laugh that makes you want to get him alone with a gin and tonic and a confidentiality vow, and ask him to dish about his three decades in the fashion world. Rarely in the spotlight but always in the vanguard (and on the guest list), Gaubert is an insider’s insider, the style set’s most trusted DJ. He’s partied with Thierry Mugler and Jerry Hall, collaborated with Longchamp, and created runway soundtracks for power houses such as Balenciaga, Dries Van Noten and—most notably and consistently—for Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel.

Fashion peeps never play by the rules. Just because the calendar says fall doesn’t mean you can’t get a jumpstart on your spring wardrobe. Here’s your shopping short list. Game on!

1. Fringe, fringe, and more fringe. Barbara Bui showed shaggy cropped jackets with row upon row of the swingy stuff.

2. Midnight blue. No, it’s not navy, people. It’s midnight blue and it looks fabulous paired with black à Nina Ricci.

Word: Photorealism

Meaning: A way of painting based around photographs, faithfully recreating every realistic nuance to create a hyper-lifelike image.

A full day of shows + 28° temps (a little unseasonal, n’est pas?) = time to get creative in the clothing department. Sadly, my suitcases are very un-Mary (as in Poppins); the items I packed­—mostly fall pieces—are hanging in my hotel room closet, literally ready to wear, but with several more hot days in the forecast, I keep poking my head into my now-empty bags hoping to pull out a cool (in every sense of the word) SS 2011 piece. The upswing? My skin has never looked better. Good thing the fashion industry is flexible, switching its direction almost as quickly as the weather. Here’s our roasty-to-wear round-up of the top 5 ways to beat the heat on (and off) the SS 2012 runways:

1. Guy Laroche’s large invites (which, luckily could also be used as fans) came in handy while waiting for the show (a.k.a. hot yoga class) to begin under a tent in the Tuileries.