As the first model stomped down the Ashish catwalk wearing bovver boots stuffed with real daises and a dress smothered in sequinned sunflowers, it was clear that flower power was going to be the defining theme of the designer’s Spring/Summer 2012 show. There was a cheerfully eccentric feel to the collection, with Panama hats stuck on the backs of the models’ heads, pale blue jeans tied scarecrow-style with ropes and black lipstick adding a touch of sulky teen. The sexy, scruffy boho-hobo feel was all a bit ‘Dexy’s Midnight Runners’ but with a modern, glamorous edge thanks to the liberal use of sequins on just about everything.
The cartoonish element that’s loved by fans like Paloma Faith (who got the paps snapping in her signature Ashish sequinned jacket) was present in the form of a quirky brick wall print in sequins, but florals dominated. Poppies, roses, pansies and sunflowers bloomed on racer back vests, asymmetric dresses with dramatic thigh splits and sporty shorts. Even a prim ditsy rose print had a punky feel in a sequinned bomber jacket.
Clashing poppies, leopard print and stripes in one outfit might sound like a recipe for disaster, but in an Ashish show, where more is more, it makes a strange kind of sense. This exuberant collection of vibrant colours, chaotic prints and sparkle set an optimistic tone for next summer, and the most joyful element was the huge daisies which evoked sun-soaked field in France in high summer. Those sunflowers also made an appearance at Rodarte which suggests they might become a motif next season. We can't wait for Ashish's summer of love.
Fashion Week 2011Sass & Bide Spring/Summer 2012
Maria Grachvogel Spring/Summer 2012
