Rag & Bone sent their spring/summer 2012 collection down the runway on September 9, 2011, during New York Fashion Week and the fashion line was all edginess, modern perceptiveness and unlikely combinations. Combining the styles of a bronzed beach goddess and a professional woman, Rag & Bone seem to turn the catwalk into boardwalk with surfer shorts, neon bikinis and sporty hoodies. So colorful, fresh and inspirational, the Rag & Bone spring/summer 2012 collection definitely conquered the audience at NYFW!
It was more than obvious that designers Marcus Wainwright and David Neville had turned to surfers, rave and music festivals for inspiration, since the collection contained a high dose of the seventies surfer style. Yes, there were surf and scuba-influenced hooded ponchos, fisherman knit sleeveless tops, nylon anoraks, breezy peasant tops, and goggle-inspired sunglasses, and these fantastic pieces were created especially for two opposing “occasions” – work and play. For work, the designers remained faithful to the label’s signature style and presented lots of sharp blazers in neon orange and tweedy blues, cleverly cut pants, but underneath the layers a radiant swimsuit could be spotted. Bandeau tops shone through translucent cover-ups and bikini bottoms peeked out from the waistline of skirts, setting up a surprising, yet pleasant sensuality. By the end of the show, more themes started to emerge, such as optical M.C. Escher-like patterns, variations of the chunky grandma cardigan, and patchwork pieces.
Layering, color blocking, unexpected proportions and surprising style mixes are the main techniques used to create this fantastic collection. Hooded ponchos, textured neutrals, knits and plastic details made a real statement, letting us immediately differentiate this collection from many others presented during the fashion event.
Skillfully blending soft neutrals with flashy, eye-popping tones, such as mustard, dark teal, blues, grey, orange, red, deep military green and turquoise, the Rag & Bone spring/summer 2012 collection manages to create a strong focal point and make it easy to mix and match. Retro sunglasses, roomy, functional bags and colorful peep toe shoes came to spice up all the outfits and grant each look with some uniting similarities. All in all, the entire fashion line is for a girl, who may rule with an iron fist in the boardroom, and secretly dream of endless sunny days at the beach.
Photo courtesy of WWD.com
