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the massive spring 2013 trend guide
October 10, 2012

See the Top Trends From Spring 2013

By Veronica Misako Gledhill and Diana Tsui

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You’ve seen the best of Fashion Week street style and the top models to walk the runways, but what spring 2013 trends will be making their marks in the fashion glossies come March? While many trends from last season are still going strong, we’ve made note of everything new and different for spring, sifting through all the shows and organizing the most stunning, shocking, and consequential trends for next spring. You can look forward to nineties throwbacks, Japanese-inspired tailoring, burglar stripes, flamenco ruffles, sheer inserts, chromatic dressing, harnesses, crop tops (start your sit-ups now), and, of course, breathtaking embellishments. Click on to see all of those and more.

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1 / 18 Photos
Luxe Lace Eyelash, Belgian, and guipure lace were all over the runways, but what stood out the most were the ultrafeminine looks that seemed to p... Luxe Lace Eyelash, Belgian, and guipure lace were all over the runways, but what stood out the most were the ultrafeminine looks that seemed to put lace to its best use — like the delicate hexagonal honeycomb lace at Alexander McQueen; deft white dentelle scroll lace at Giambattista Valli; and the hand-pieced lace panels that floated down the runway at Roberto Cavalli.
Geisha Academy Shogunate elements such as wing-shouldered vests and tops appeared at Rodarte, Lanvin, and Gianfranco Ferré, while other Ja... Geisha Academy Shogunate elements such as wing-shouldered vests and tops appeared at Rodarte, Lanvin, and Gianfranco Ferré, while other Japanese touches, like kimonos, appeared in Prada's pleated origami-like satin looks and wide obi leather bodices at Haider Ackerman and Gareth Pugh.
Extreme Detailing Spectacular couture-worthy embellishments popped up at Alexander McQueen, Balmain, Antonio Berardi — beware, it's almost diffic... Extreme Detailing Spectacular couture-worthy embellishments popped up at Alexander McQueen, Balmain, Antonio Berardi — beware, it's almost difficult to see so much beauty all at once, not to mention difficult to tell exactly what's going on with so many techniques on top of one another. Is that a cabachon-encrusted gold jacquard embroidered with seed pearls? Maybe. All you need to know is that it's heavy and perfect for red carpet season.
Box Tops Start your sit-up reps now: Crop tops are back in a big way for spring with boxy versions seen at Balenciaga, Rochas, and Chloe. Notice ... Box Tops Start your sit-up reps now: Crop tops are back in a big way for spring with boxy versions seen at Balenciaga, Rochas, and Chloe. Notice that there is nary a navel to be seen.
Intricate Stencils Designers seem to be having fun with some unusual design tricks, one called faggotting, used at Alexander Wang, Blumarine, Der... Intricate Stencils Designers seem to be having fun with some unusual design tricks, one called faggotting, used at Alexander Wang, Blumarine, Derek Lam, and Chloé, gives the look of panels and pieces in suspension, all the while revealing or concealing the form. It's kind of like the stencils you'd cut out in art class, except you'd wear these.
Long Shorts Last spring was all about the ultrashort hot pant, cut so that they barely grazed the tops of thighs while resort brought about the r... Long Shorts Last spring was all about the ultrashort hot pant, cut so that they barely grazed the tops of thighs while resort brought about the return of culottes. Consider the prevalence of knee-grazing shorts a happy medium between the two — just enough length for coverage but not so long to cut the legs off visually.
Le Nouvelle Smoking  In 1966, Yves Saint Laurent introduced the now iconic Le Smoking, a groundbreaking sexy yet minimalist take on menswear... Le Nouvelle Smoking  In 1966, Yves Saint Laurent introduced the now iconic Le Smoking, a groundbreaking sexy yet minimalist take on menswear for women. So in a year when the Saint Laurent label and minimalist designers commandeered everyone's attention, it was only fitting that show after show churned out interpretations of the pantsuit. Some versions, like Stella McCartney’s, were slouchy, while others, like Christian Dior's, were sleek and tailored.
Nevermind Redux Designers have long mined other decades for inspiration, so it was only a matter of time before the nineties hit the runway. Exac... Nevermind Redux Designers have long mined other decades for inspiration, so it was only a matter of time before the nineties hit the runway. Exactly twenty years after Marc Jacobs showed his seminal grunge collection for Perry Ellis, the days of flannel and Doc Martens are back. This time around the girl has that same carefree mussed appeal, albeit with non-thrifted clothes.
Ruffles Drawing upon their respective archives, Balenciaga and Givenchy both paid homage to their brands' histories of using sculptural ruffles t... Ruffles Drawing upon their respective archives, Balenciaga and Givenchy both paid homage to their brands' histories of using sculptural ruffles to accent otherwise minimalist looks. But it wasn’t just historical houses who added a bit of frill — newer labels like J.W. Anderson and Peter Pilotto also took to the trend. Consider it an extension of resort’s penchant for wavy adornment. 
Window Dresses See-through looks are no stranger to the spring runways, though like overly revealing hot pants, they’re generally relegated to ed... Window Dresses See-through looks are no stranger to the spring runways, though like overly revealing hot pants, they’re generally relegated to editorial use. Designers took advantage of the airy quality of sheer chiffons by adding in panels to lighten up and add a subtle dose of sex appeal to looks. When inserted at the waistline or around the clavicle, they reveal just the right amount of skin.
M-Slits  Flaunting a well-toned thigh through a sexy, high slit has been a red carpet tactic employed by the likes of Carine Roitfeld, Angel... M-Slits  Flaunting a well-toned thigh through a sexy, high slit has been a red carpet tactic employed by the likes of Carine Roitfeld, Angelina Jolie, and Blake Lively, to name a few, but why stop at just one leg? Adding a second slice to a short skirt offers up an additional opportunity for a starlet to reveal shapely legs with every step she takes. Consider them a shoo-in for the MTV Movie Awards.
Power Harnesses A bit of subversive Helmut Newton sex appeal in the form of harnesses comes at a time when Fifty Shades of Grey has infiltra... Power Harnesses A bit of subversive Helmut Newton sex appeal in the form of harnesses comes at a time when Fifty Shades of Grey has infiltrated the mass consciousness. The normally sweet Jason Wu used leather straps to cinch in feminine looks while Nina Ricci used them to enhance boudoir-glamour looks. Expect to see these spring up in street-style shots next season.
Gladiator Heels Balenciaga introduced knee-high gladiators as a counterpoint to sculptural floral dresses back in 2008, but this season they popp... Gladiator Heels Balenciaga introduced knee-high gladiators as a counterpoint to sculptural floral dresses back in 2008, but this season they popped up at several shows paired with a wide array of short skirts. While completely impractical once summer gets hot and muggy (just consider how sweaty one's shins must get!), they do look impressive. Now the question is, how long does it take to put them on?
Burglar Stripes  Thick stripes crossed the chest and hips of many a model this season with sources of inspiration varying wildly from the mod six... Burglar Stripes  Thick stripes crossed the chest and hips of many a model this season with sources of inspiration varying wildly from the mod sixties to the diverse cultural history of Sicily. The overall effect brings to mind a high-fashion version of the Hamburglar or the Monopoly man, should you need some early Halloween costume inspiration. Just expect to hear "do Not Pass Go; do not collect $200" throughout the night.
Ink Jet Set The Ink Jet digital printing method is the new frontier in fashion — it is the sole passion of Mary Katrantzou, whose trompe-l'oeil l... Ink Jet Set The Ink Jet digital printing method is the new frontier in fashion — it is the sole passion of Mary Katrantzou, whose trompe-l'oeil landscapes, interiors, and objets have made their way onto the human body with her silk digital printing. The possibilities of this technique are endless and more and more designers are experimenting with the possibilities, like with Proenza Schouler's Tumblr-inspired last look which captured images of the populace onto a grommeted (to underscore the concept of pixels) A-line dress.
Chromatics: Yves Klein Blue Color blocking was a thing in past seasons, when it served as a bright accent to neutral looks. Now Yves Klein's Inte... Chromatics: Yves Klein Blue Color blocking was a thing in past seasons, when it served as a bright accent to neutral looks. Now Yves Klein's International blue, the color patented by the artist in 1961 in his ground breaking works of that era, looks bold, simple, and optic all at once for spring, like at Stella Mcartney's belted, striped chiffon dress, Gucci's ruffled suit looks, and in slouchy linen at Chanel.
Chromatics: Sea Foam Beryl, Aquamarine, soft chlorine — call it what you willl, it's a welcome update to last season's mint. Designers couldn't r... Chromatics: Sea Foam Beryl, Aquamarine, soft chlorine — call it what you willl, it's a welcome update to last season's mint. Designers couldn't resist exploring the color in at least several looks in just about every collection, most memorably at Blumarine, Gucci, Alberta Ferretti, and Antonio Berardi.
Chromatics: Red Bright vermillion catches the eye in full-length looks that go va va voom. We are used to having the one-off red look go dow... Chromatics: Red Bright vermillion catches the eye in full-length looks that go va va voom. We are used to having the one-off red look go down the runway in a collection, but too many designers seemed to have too many bright red looks for us not to notice, like in a nineteenth-century day dress at Valentino, a chiffon bias-cut gown at Gareth Pugh, and in a delicate lace confection at Giambattista Valli.
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  • crop tops
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  • extreme embellishment
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  • gladiators
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