Rebirth of Spring 2013 and Prada

Imma start this post off with some non-fashion things. 1a. I was so excited to be posting all the time about Fashion Week but I just started a new job and classes started and I haven't been able to post as much as I want. Anyway, expect another post after the conclusion of Paris Fashion Week that will probably be me dying over the beauty that Karl Lagerfeld, Sarah Burton, and Marc Jacobs send down the runways at the conclusion of the best time of the year.
Which brings me to my question. I don't know what I'm doing on this blog (Clearly it's hot mess, party of one right now). For those of you that read this, tweet at me, or post in my tumblr (Links at the bottom of the post), or comment on this post telling me what you'd like to see here. Personal style, shopping picks, more reviews of shows, street style...etc. If you don't tell me I'm gonna do whatever the hell I want to do and this blog is gonna continue being a mess. But a wonderful, fashion-filled mess.

ANYWAYS

Goddamn this season has been so good. I'm really feeling pretty much everything that's been sent down the runways. Most of the shows are falling into one key trend: Black and white. But those shows that don't conform to that still feel fresh and exciting.
Spring 2013 is really about rebirth. Designers are making a clear departure from the direction they were going in. These past couple seasons have felt very antique-y -- Lots of florals and retro-inspired looks and it's all been amazing. The tweeds and tulle and velvet have been a good time. And they'll continue of course, albeit used in completely different ways.
Back to this whole "rebirth" concept. Ever since forever, but more specifically, since Bambi, flowers have been a symbol of the rebirth of spring. This shit is deep. Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking. Except this time it is.
No one can deny Miuccia's clever use of symbols or Prada's unusual power as a symbol itself. Lets take a look at Prada's spring collection as a continuation from her last couple shows.

From right: Fall '11, Spring '12, Fall '12, Spring '13 (All photos from Style.com)

Fall 2011: Lets throw on some sequins to show innocent, glamourous femininity.
Spring 2012: Throw together a shit-ton of patterns and pastels to show feminine sweetness.
Fall 2012: That wasn't enough patterns, we need more, and toss on some jewels too to show the bare pleasure of fashion.
Spring 2013: Strip that all off to show our yearning for innocence and dreams.

I know it sounds like I'm being facetious, but I'm really not. (If you don't know by now that nothing I say should be taken totally seriously, like, I don't know what to tell you), I literally die for Miuccia. Shes a genius.

Each collection has been just additions, add more and more onto these amazing looks. Sequins, fur, snakeskin, patterns, more patterns, jewels. Then came Resort 2013, in which Miuccia brought out 12 looks alongside her menswear show. Usually in a fashion show there is a sense of build to a couple over-the-top finale looks. Not so for resort, there was no build, the show ended with looks very similar to all the other looks in the collection. Miuccia herself said the show was a blank canvas.

A blank canvas for Spring 12. Where she showed looks unbelievably different from what she's been showing recently. And the flower motif (seen on 99% of the looks) is a symbol for this rebirth. Back to Bambi and the flowers: they show this rebirth out of the blank canvas she gave us at Resort. Fashion this spring is not meant to be a direct continuation of fall -- instead it is a time of change.

I declare upon Prada that Spring 2013 is a rebirth of fashion.

Designers have been pushing against the over-the-top fashions of earlier seasons and going minimal. Designers who usually throw on the colors and patterns stuck to white and monochrome prints. The sheer amount of black and white has been insane. This is a rebirth into modernity. Collections have been looking futuristic, but not like a futuristic costume -- more like we've finally made it to the future and these are the clothes we're wearing. Plastics; slick, glossy looks; cutouts; even glow-in-the-dark.
Prada gave us the blank canvas upon which to paint the new generation of clothes.

Obviously I can't list or show all the designers doing this, so heres some of my favorites. Not because they show the best examples but because they're the prettiest. And like, what's the point of a post about fashion if it's not maximizing the potential beauty it can show? Because without beauty, what is fashion?

From right: Marc Jacobs, Emilio Pucci, Oscar de la Renta, Gucci

Marc presented a 60's mod-inspired collection that felt completely modern instead of retro. Most looks were black and white, and featured sequins and tons of stripes (Read my full review here). Pucci, who usually shows colors and patterns galore stuck to white, black, and red in a stunning collection. Oscar de la Renta showed a collection packed full of beauty (Despite all the f-ing drama surrounding it with Cathy Horyn) and this black and white dress with the gold embellishment grabbed my eye. So glamourous. Gucci pushed away from the dark patterns of late and showed a bright collection with minimal patterns including this gorgeous white gown with the red/orange decoration on the neckline.

From Right: Chado Ralph Rucci, Alexander Wang, Roberto Cavalli, Burberry Prorsum

Chado Ralph Rucci brought it this season - showing futuristic perfection - lots of white, cutouts, and pink. Alexander Wang proved that glow-in-the-dark can be chic, it's not just for children's toys with his theatric finale. His collection full of cutouts dazzled. Roberto Cavalli's flawless spring collection started off white, then brought in color and futuristic patterns. This white look killed me. Burberry Prorsum's collection was largely full of color, but all of it was glossy and beyond modern. The modified cuts of traditional trench coats and dresses showed that Christopher Bailey is looking at the past for inspiration for the future.

Remember to tweet (@fashstylefab) or post on my tumblr (fashionstylefabulous.tumblr.com), or comment below what you'd like to see more of here! Otherwise this shit show will continue.