SPECIAl REPORT
SS 2012
End of season roundup
At EDITD we’re more than a little bit keen on data. We love the stuff. That’s why we put together a series of reports covering each fashion week for SS12, analysing data generated online by the events. Across the month, we processed over 25 million tweets and updates covering events in New York, London, Milan and Paris. From this we were able to assess the most talked about designers, styles and prints.
Now the shows are over, the editors have put down their pens and all the photos are in, so we can compile our digital overview of the SS12 season. This report spans the cities and fashion weeks, giving you a definitive guide to the most talked about designers of the season and the most buzzed about prints, colours and styles. See, we told you that we love data at EDITD!
This season's top 10 key insights
1
Going social works
Burberry's digital marketing strategy saw them shoot to the top of the most talked about designers in LFW. Changing the fashion landscape with their innovation, which included the first ever Tweetwalk, the show streamed live and available for purchase online immediately after the finale.
2
The net we cast
A mind-boggling 25,536,490 tweets and blog posts were analysed across the month to get these results. That’s a heck of a lot of opinion!
3
SS12 palettes
Mid-blues, strong reds and mustard yellows were the most popular colours in both New York and London. New York also opted for a host of grey tones, whilst London used summery pastels to a greater extent.
4
Givenchy & Vuitton well liked
During fashion month, Givenchy increased its online fanbase (including Twitter & Facebook opt-ins) by 30%, while Louis Vuitton gained an extra 478,937 followers.
5
Yves Klein, the shade
The deep, vibrant hue of Yves Klein blue was featured in 36 collections across the four cities, making it a safe bet for SS 2012 success.
6
Florals go global
Floral prints were a resounding success across all four capitals and topped the list of the month's most talked-about prints. They featured in 107 collections, with New York being the city to feature them the most.
7
The changing seasons
Italian label Uniqueness gave Burberry a run for their money in the direct-to-consumer stakes. Their collection was available for purchase online an hour after the show - with delivery in a mere 48 hours! The new label is a collaboration between Pinko and Alessandra Facchinetti, formerly of Gucci and Valentino.
8
Sporty styles win big
A huge 78.9% of opinions on sporty styles were positive, not the most talked about trend; but the most liked. Anticipation for the 2012 Games?
9
Moonlighting designers get recognition
Four designers across fashion month were rewarded for their moonlighting by having multiple collections featured in the Top 10 Buzz lists for labels: Marc Jacobs, Christopher Kane, Donatella Versace and Miuccia Prada. A busy bunch!
10
Under the sea
A surprise top style of SS12 was nautical, specifically underwater sea-scapes. Versace, Chanel, Holly Fulton, Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood Red Label: a large number of collections for such a mythical sea story.
Graphing SS12's online buzz
Online buzz generated by key designers over the last 12 months
SS 2011
AW 2011/12
SS 2012
Online buzz generated by key styles over the last 12 months
SS 2011
AW 2011/12
SS 2012
Online buzz generated by key prints over the last 12 months
SS 2011
AW 2011/12
SS 2012
How the big styles, prints
& designers were received
Key looks from SS12
Alexander Wang
Encapsulating the sporty trend with the kind of wearability that has made him an editor’s darling, here Wang makes use of one of the season’s key fabrics: mesh. Add in two of the top colours of the season - mid blue and orange - and this look is an absolute winner.
Balmain
Balmain, the second most talked-about brand in Paris, excelled with new talent Olivier Rousteing at the helm. He worked the usual Balmain magic with gold leather, embroidery and toreador references. What works particularly well here is the pairing with bleached denim, creating a new kind of eveningwear.
Burberry
With select pieces from their stellar collection available for purchase immediately after the show, it’s no surprise that Burberry’s SS12 collection didn’t scream summer. The palette, mostly autumnal, and the clothing, heavily coated, represents the trans-seasonal future of the fashion industry.
Chanel
Many of the mermaid looks presented by Lagerfeld at Chanel were show stoppers, destined for editorial and covers. This look embodies the ethereal feel, whilst having enough of Chanel coding to entice the customer. The palette too features key season colour trends with its aquatic green and pastel pink.
Dolce & Gabbana
Milan was fun and Dolce & Gabbana were certainly at the party. Given Prada’s SS11 fruit success, the vegetable prints shown for SS12 could well have broad commercial appeal and lend themselves to the retro vibe of the moment. Lighten up, it is summer!
Jonathan Saunders
Saunders’ retro-Miami housewife collection saw him further innovating with print. This look not only combines one of the season’s key 50s shapes, with a recurring shade of pink, but also takes on its own character with the symmetrical print.
Marc Jacobs
Rockabilly in shape, futuristic in fabrication and homely in print. There’s 20s references with the tiered pleating and yes, look closely and you’ll notice they are see-through cowboy boots... will it sell? Unsure. But it will certainly get a lot of attention.
Missoni
Sardinian-inspired, this flamenco look couldn’t ask to be taken on holiday more clearly if it tried. The colour will be core to the season’s palette, even if the shape might not feature heavily. Ranking fourth in the month’s top designers, Missoni’s collection heavily referenced Italian roots, a micro-trend spotted in Milan... surprise, surprise.
Mulberry
Mulberry took a trip to the beach this season, and what a time they had! The bold deckchair stripes seen here incorporated key pastel colours from the London palette, whilst an update of the shift shape will see this look sell.
Prada
Prada took their car inspiration and really ran with it. Taking prints from the menswear collection and injecting a bit of curve and a lot of glamour, they presented one of the funnest retro-themed collections. This look is both humorous and ladylike, no mean feat.
Versace
Only Versace could take leather, studding and a bustier shape and make it seem somehow pretty. With their under-the sea-collection, Versace’s theme was frothier than their normal; capturing the season’s mood well.
Louis Vuitton
With its pastel tones, feminine theme and the slight sportiness in the ruching, Marc Jacobs goes top of the class with this look for Louis Vuitton. The lace trim feels both modern and retro and the sheer layers add textural interest.
SS12 Key Looks
SS12's most popular colours
Tracking every shade across the four fashion weeks we compiled interactive colour wheels comparing the key colour trends of SS12. Each city showed its own personality, by including unique hues. Milan went for dusky tones, London for pastels, Paris neutrals and New York a mossy ginger. The real commercial interest lies in where the cities whole-heartedly agreed — bright red, mid-blues, grey and citrus tones.
EDITDSS12
SS12
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LONDON
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SS12's Top 10 = Buzz + Sentiment
1. Chanel
Seen in: Paris
Chanel's fortunes were lifted by Karl Lagerfeld’s superb and costly staging at the Grand Palais. He created a dazzling underwater scene, complete with giant seashells, coral decorations and a mermaid-like Florence Welch belting out ‘What the Water Gave Me’. Filling the front row with the likes of Alexa Chung, Uma Thurman, Clémence Poésy and Anna Dello Russo was also a masterstroke. Amazingly, the greatest feat was that the clothes stood up to the spectacle.
2. Marc Jacobs
Seen in: Seen in New York
The fashion industry showed its penchant for drama and gossip this month, generating much hype around Marc Jacobs’ suspected move to head Dior. With the month over and still no announcement on that front, his mainline collection fell under scrutiny. A bizarre mish-mash of references saw his models wrapped in checked plastic, with baggy tights sticking out of transparent cowboy boots. No one is quite sure what’s going on, perhaps least of all MJ himself.
3. Prada
Seen in: Milan
Fast cars, fast women! Miuccia Prada really stepped on the gas this season, earning her place as one of the top designers of the month. She dared to do what few other designers did this season - to have some fun! The 50s references weren’t shy: this was about diner styling and poolside glamour. Cars were the driving force, shoes had go-faster stripe wings, bags had taillight applique, whilst the real winner was the auto print pulled straight from the reference books.
4. Missoni
Seen at: Milan
Register to read more5. Burberry
Seen at: London
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Seen at: New York
Register to read more7. Louis Vuitton
Seen at: Paris
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Seen at: Milan
Register to read more9. Celine
Seen at: Paris
Register to read more10. Mulberry
Seen at: London
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Top 10 Designers
1. Retro
Seen at: Marni, Peter Jensen
Designers are having a seriously retrospective moment. Call it escapism, or perhaps hope, but we see it more as sure-fire commercial success. Vintage styles were given a huge amount of runway time across the cities, with the 20s, 50s, 60s and 70s being the most visited decades. In a trend that spans print, styling and silhouette, the best interpretations were to be found in Marni’s bold prints and the wearability of Peter Jensen’s collection.
2. Feminine
Seen at: Valentino, bebe
The prim and proper ladylike styles of AW11/12 were reworked with a lighter touch for SS12. There were still the pencil skirts of the previous season, but the look was less power, more pleasure. Teaming up with the floral print proliferation, and with a simplified silhouette, this is a trend which speaks of lazy summer days. Valentino’s oodles of lace and bebe’s breeziness are noteworthy.
3. Oversized
Seen at: Acne, Albino
A trend to be treated with caution, as this one is much talked-about, but the sentiment shown towards it is mostly negative. Acne showed how to get it right, playing with wide fits and cropped lengths in a jarring palette of brown, turquoise and pink. Albino’s evening frock coats also had a mixed-up scale, and were expertly cut in their bright satins. Tread carefully, and this can be a fun look to play with.
4. Sporty
Seen at: Alexander Wang, Versus
Register to read more5. Tailoring
Seen at: Paul Smith, Hussien Chalayan
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Seen at: Prada, Daks
Register to read more7. Minimal
Seen at: Jackie JS Lee, Reed Krakoff
Register to read more8. Nautical
Seen at: Chanel, Versace
Register to read more9. Futuristic
Seen at: Gareth Pugh, Balenciaga
Register to read more10. Preppy
Seen at: Marc by Marc Jacobs, J.Crew
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Top 10 Styles
1. Florals
Seen at: Peter Som, Peter Pilotto
The out and out print winner of the season, florals have exploded on the fashion scene. London and New York offered the most experimental and innovative of versions, exploring photoprints, scale and colour. In Milan, the florals had a decidedly retro feel, with their lurid repeats. Paris played it cute, and safe, with small-scaled, ditzy prints, used best in patchworked garments. The Peters, Som and Pilotto, demonstrated excellence in their boldness.
2. Stripes
Seen at: Mulberry, Akris
It’s no surprise that stripes rank so highly as they have become somewhat synonymous with jaunty summer. The stripes we’ve seen this season are sporty and clean, offering a nice contrast to the floral story. Akris’ racer stripes give the impression they’d truly make the wearer move faster, whilst Mulberry’s broad pastel stripes had more of a beach feel.
3. Checks
Seen at: Marc Jacobs, John Galliano
Checks were the top print in Milan, making it the only city not to back florals to the hilt. The crisp and fresh appeal of summer plaids and ginghams won much support online. Best in show goes to Raf Simon’s high-shine checks at Jil Sander in a rich palette of navy and purple. Marc Jacobs’ layered, plastic, checked slips were interesting, at best. Over at John Galliano, boldly checked macs and full skirts were at once classic and playful.
4. Snakeskin
Seen at: Anthony Vaccarello
Register to read more5. Polka Dot
Seen at: Moschino, Michael van der Ham
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Seen at: Jonathan Saunders, Stella McCartney
Register to read more7. Patchwork
Seen at: Miu Miu, Isabel Marant
Register to read more8. Zebra
Seen at: Missoni, Martin Grant
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Seen at: sass & bide, BCBG Max Azria
Register to read more10. Leopard
Seen at: Just Cavalli, Givenchy
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Top 10 Prints
About EDITD
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EDITD is a cloud-based social, commercial and factual observation instrument, giving businesses the ability to quickly understand trends and market dynamics, both historically and in real time. Far beyond inspiration, EDITD is factual information; essential for how the fashion industry is evolving.
