TADASHI SHOJI | FALL / WINTER 2012

Inspired by the “Golden Age of Shanghai”, Japan born fashion designer Tadashi Shoji’s show-stopping Fall / Winter 2012 collection sent vibrant coloured frocks in velvet and lace down the runway.

Models were dressed in ultra-feminine, sophisticated dresses in velvet, Chantilly lace, chiffon and silk, oozing Hollywood glamour. The dresses were detailed with capped sleeves and tiered skirts, with the addition of high necks and beaded embroidery.

The designer recorded in his notes that his Fall / Winter12 collection was influenced by a “glamorous world of modernity, transformation and prosperity.” Shoji also wrote that he used “opulent” fabrics and “brilliant” colours in dresses and column gowns with drop waists and extended hemlines.

A stunning black velvet gown was the show highlight, with its dramatic bodice of lace and embroidery, which juxtaposed against the typical jewel tones and floral prints of the collection.

The designer revealed the real inspiration behind his collection on his Twitter page earlier this year, actress Marlene Dietrich in the 1932 film Shanghai Express.

- Lucia Binding