Trends of Spring/Summer 2012

2012, the year some believe is the "end" of the world, is not so gloomy in designers' eyes. In addition to enjoying the glamour, the beats and the catwalks from the just-concluded New York Fashion Week, check out some of the trends for Spring/Summer 2012.

1. Feminine

Tracy Reese presented the most "girly" collection at NYFW for Spring/Summer 2012. As one of the few African-American women working in the fashion world, Reese has gained success with her understanding of what women want and her own innate desire to create beautiful things. And that showed in her S/S 2012 collection. Each piece stood out on its own, and will make you want to add them to your closet as a one of your favs, not just another piece to compliment your other collections.

Anna Sui is known for her butterflies and love of the color purple, but for her Spring/Summer 2012 collection, these two elements did not dominate the scene. Instead, her collections consisted of vintage prints, polka dots, embroidery and floppy hats that are reminiscent of classical actresses you'd see in an old '70s Hollywood movie. Fashion and style run in circles. Many want to be at the front of the line (and even more want to run ahead of that), but the NY-based Sui likes to make her pieces timeless. Her appreciation of classic styles, use of soft materials and all-so-girly cuttings of her dresses and trousers will never (in my world, at least) go out of style.

Elie Tahari mixed soft silouettes with cooler metalic colors, without compromising the sweetness of the pieces. Belts were seen in most of her pieces, accentuating the waist and adding more definition to the women's curves, no matter what size she wears 2. Patterns

Milly really showed the fun side of the 2012 Spring/Summer collection during New York Fashion Week. Colors that popped and repeated use of patterns were in line with Milly's youthful and luxurious designs. The New York based designer, Michelle Smith, has again been successful in creating silhouettes with a sophisticated, sexy yet somewhat playful flair.

In contrast, Donna Karan opted for more earthy tones for her summer collection. Matched by exotic drum beats playing in the background during her show, Karan's collection mostly featured by body-hugging slinky dresses with a tribal feel. The accessories also maintained with the tribal theme and were made from wood shards and piled up Lucite. The patterns of her creations were made to highlight the shape of women, a nice gesture for anyone who wants to obtain a more hourglass-like figure.

3. Clean cuts

Calvin Klein did not dissapoint the crowd (as usual) with his chic and sophisticated looks on the runway. "Clean" would be the word that describes Klein's 2012 Spring/Summer collection best. The silhouettes were simple, the colors were sutble, even the backgrounds were monochromatic to match the elegant (but sometimes too bland) collection.

Ralph Lauren's 2012 Spring/Summer collection had the same clean lines, but with a more playful twist. Lauren added colors to his collection, though very humble, to add more vitality. He also did not forget to accessorise, with floral scarves to match or simple jewelry to shine. The collection looked as if it were the clothes worn by charaters from "The Great Gatsby" - covered yet sexy, fun yet elegant.