BERNHARD WILLHELM | FALL / WINTER 2012

Bernhard Willhelm has made a name for himself as a fearless designer. Not afraid of outrageous colour scapes, nor a bold pattern, or indeed a daring cut – his Fall / Winter 2012 menswear collection was no exception to these rules.

With so much going on in each collection, in each outfit even, it’s hard to know where to start. Willhelm himself finds his beginnings in ideas: ‘it’s about making a strong idea and producing the image’ (hintmag.com). The idea that everything is in transition forms the conceptual grounding of the AW12 menswear line, along with a celebration of gay relationships; hence the littering of references to building and road works, an urn filled with bananas and headbands reading ‘I heart black cock’ and ‘boy toy’. Got the idea yet?

Long-haired, or long bearded models donned fluro sportswear, cut-up checked shirts, boiler suits and the boldest and brightest of tribal and animal prints. Everything had been chopped up and sculpted into the most unexpected and playful of constructions, while plenty of fringing or lengths of faux fur and Hawaiian flowers adorned most garments.

Stand out pieces included a bright orange, full length, kimono-style coat with ‘transit’ printed along the bottom and a pink leopard print, tiger faced tracksuit. -

- Laura Peebles