Spring 2012 Trend: Pleats, Please
Photos: Imaxtree
Pleats on the Prada, Burberry, and Céline Spring 2012 runways
Did Issey Miyake's famously folded designs influence the fashion flock for Spring 2012? Because come next season, pleats—from knife to box and everything in between—are clearly a style staple.
At Prada in Milan, Miuccia Prada put her own spin on the ladylike pleated skirt, with high-waisted versions in pretty pastels, some with a cheeky hot rod print. Blouses, coats, and colorblocked dresses came accordion-pleated as well, along with a few glossy leather pieces that gave the collection a grown-up edge.
In Paris, Phoebe Philo at Céline took a similar tack, opting for colorblocked and pleated leather skirts. Hers, however, were low-slung and belted for an almost kilt-like effect, while the below-the-knee length was far from schoolgirl-ish.
At Chloé (Philo’s alma mater, in fact), new designer Clare Waight Keller went a bit sweeter, with swingy trapeze dresses and floaty pleated skirts in sherbet shades.
Burberry touched on the trend, too, with mid-calf skirts, which were pleated at the waist, and one lovely micro-pleated dress in a bright lime green (above).
In New York, Ralph Lauren and Tory Burch (two designers that took inspiration from the ‘20s for the season) also showed pleated skirts. The former went with a floor-length, formal-white style, while the latter sent out a mid-calf printed number.
So, whether you're channeling Daisy Buchanan, a sock hopper or a schoolgirl, these pleated pieces have one common thread—they're all about movement. And a little shimmy never hurt anyone, did it?
SEE THE SPRING 2012 RUNWAY COLLECTIONS
