BERNARD CHANDRAN | SPRING / SUMMER 2013

Bernard Chandran’s offerings for Spring / Summer 2013 began with a muted palette of stone and highlights of starched white. Models hit the decadent Freemasons’ runway their faces marked with futuristic warrior paint.

Accentuated hourglasses and boxy silhouettes played off against each other with ease and sophistication. Sheer and opaque panels were matched with an almost zebra-like print and embellished with shimmering sequins.

Fans of the designer’s work vary from Malaysian Royalty to Lady Gaga and Rihanna, and Chandran’s Spring / Summer 2013 collection didn’t disappoint. It was the perfect balance between sultry and sexy and was a true celebration of the female form.

Chandran channelled inspiration from the joys as well as the trials of love. Shift dresses and full-skirted mini dresses made their mark on the collection and came in rich creams and soft sorbet pinks.

As the show went on the Spring / Summer line became more moody and geometric panels and body-skimming silhouettes made for a pleasingly wearable aesthetic. Forget about mullet hemlines, Chandran turned the concept on its head, the result, striking sheer pleats cascading down the front of otherwise simple dresses.

Trench dresses were nipped in at the waist by tight wrap-around belts. Tunics came in pleather and were teamed up with boxy plastic totes. A remarkable ensemble made its mark with a clear plastic pocket stitched on the back of a sporty cropped-sleeve jacket.

A striking royal blue ensured that the show ended on a high as dresses shimmied down the catwalk emblazoned with intricate beading and eye-catching sequins.

- Ellen Stewart