Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large
The most worn and blogged about fashion item of this Spring has been the Prada satin-collared bomber jacket covered with colourful chunky stones. During the catwalk shows I lost count of the number of people - both male and female - who owned one, and each individual jacket seemed unique to the wearer. That is the power of a gem; they become part of you. It is also the power of Prada. Every time I saw one on someone I become mesmerised to the point of childlike awe; I need one of these jackets in my life, as entertainment if nothing else.
Miuccia Prada tends to roll out an influential corker for the summer season, and a more commercial collection for winter. This summer's Prada collection may have revved up the high street with its Vroom-Vroom car iconography but it also, it turns out, has influenced the most directional catwalk designers for Autumn from Lanvin to Vuitton, Nina Ricci to Versace, and we're not talking about the cars, but the hundredweight of bling. Miu Miu and Prada carried on showering chunks of rock onto their clothes for Autumn.. but scroll down and you will see how the rest of the high fashion firmament lost themselves to the power of opening fire with equivalent of an AK 47 loaded with crystal ammo.
This all marks the return of bling, something the BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China - who are all in the throes of a boom time, will love and indulge to the max. In the Western market partaking in this trend will be done with more than a sense of irony.
THE PRADA JACKET
Prada
More Prada
Even more Prada
You guessed it...
Street style blogger Hanneli Mustaparta mixes Tom Binns bling with a varsity jacket
More Tom Binns.. (All the above photos by the inimitable Tommy Ton for Style.com)
AUTUMN/WINTER 2O12 GEM-TASTIC OFFERINGS
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| Prada AW12 (image from www.jasonlloyd-evans.com) |
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| Dolca and Gabbana AW12 |
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| Lanvin AW12 |
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| Lanvin AW12 |
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| Marni AW12 |
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| Nina Ricci AW12 |
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| Versace AW12 |
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| Louis Vuitton AW12 (all catwalk images from www.catwalking.com) THINGS TO BUY NOW...
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| Gem sandals £40 River Island |
