Fashion found inspiration in the past as the AW’12 Splash fashion show revisited the realm of Kings and Queens. Swishing gowns, bow ties, and ornate jewellery was the flavour of the evening as UAE’s finest walked into an arena set with chandeliers and opulent candles in the elegant Madinat Arena, Madinat Jumeirah. Exclusively reserved for those with royal ties to style, the evening was graced with the most imperial of trends, coming together for one magnificent moment.
The posh, contemporary evening saw 65 international models sashay down the catwalk showcasing a minimalistic mix of culture and trends. A contrast to the SS’12 Splash fashion extravaganza, where close to 16,000 guests were entertained, Splash Fashion Royale was an intimate affair with only 3000 guests including consumers, students and opinion makers. Showcasing a mélange of traditional and contemporary the opulent ‘runway’ feast fit for royalty was divided into four catwalks with just two rows on each side giving every guest an opportunity to enjoy the show in close-quarters to the ramp.
Inspired by the season’s trends and the recently concluded catwalk extravaganza, Raza Beig, CEO, Splash & ICONIC, said: “Each season the Splash Fashion Shows are uniquely themed keeping in sync with the latest International cat-walk trends and this season Splash’s AW’12 collection is inspired by the majestic figures of our world and a setting that included seasonal imagery. This season, we also got into an intimate, very exclusive environment where all fashion enthusiasts were treated as VIPs and got to witness the collection up close and personal.”
“Adding another first to its credit, the evening became a much larger celebration as we live streamed all our three shows on major portals, including our website and social media platforms ensuring Splash fans from across the region got to watch the on and off runway action from the comfort of their couch,” he further added.
Continuing with the lineup of the two consumer shows, fashion followers and loyal customers got a taste of the season’s highly anticipated electric runway action was then followed by the VIP show, where Beig along with the models walked the ramp for the finale amid falling snow.
With the AW’12 blockbuster trends already at the top of every fashionistas shopping list, the Splash runway married themes beautifully with each other to offer high-voltage fashion. Ranging from retro mix of the 19th century to tapestry and heritage classics and all the way to military alongside some Eastern futurism, the trends were given a spin providing chic and elegant fashion. Glossy satins, lace, sumptuous knits, fur, exotic skins, feathers and embellishments and sequins are back into the wardrobe with black in plentiful with an offbeat mix of electric blackberry, bitter chocolate, aubergines and plum brown darks being the predominant colours.
The silhouettes were all about sharp tailoring, peplums, throw-on or slouchy jacket shapes, while glamorous evening wear was decorated with luxurious lace and embroidered with touches of gold. Pea coats and capes teamed with pencil or long pleat skirts, pocketed sweatshirts with skinny pants and jumpsuits remained an integral part of the collection while beautifully brocaded kimono jackets, elaborate obi belts, cheongsam-style dresses in rising-sun red colour were a hit on the ramp. The entire collection was teamed with accessories to covet with and which made each ensemble stand out.
As the 20 minute action on the ramp came to a halt, the intimate setting of the show was instantly converted into the after party arena that resembled a courtyard arena sated with birch trees and a very oriental décor keeping in sync with the kimono inspired trend for the season.
The collection will be available at all Splash stores from now until December 2012 and to revisit moments from the show tune in to Youtube.com/SplashFashion.
THE PENINSULA
