Printed Suits

Melbourne-based brand May the Label has done it again, pushing out a easy-to-wear, impossible-to-resist line for the season ahead. For Winter 2013, designer Georgia Phillis has pushed her distinctive prints albeit this time with a distinctly '60s twist. Wear the paisleys, pixelated patterns and florals with block-coloured separates for simplicity's sake, or double up in like-minded a trouser or short suit. We asked Georgia to give us the downlow on her latest baby. Step inside to see what the brains behind this local operation had to say.

Bright colours, embellishments, and prints were in full effect at J.Crew's Spring presentation. Needless to say, we want every single piece. See the collection now, then come back soon for our full review.

The most grown up way to wear head-to-toe prints this season comes courtesy of a silhouette usually reserved for the nine-to-five grind. Suiting got a fun makeover during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia, and we've been hanging out since May to take this nifty take on the humble two-piece for a spin. Whether you want to blow the budget with a luxe topper + trouser combo from camilla and marc, or prefer to try the trend in a wallet-friendly was from ASOS, we've got you covered. Shop the trend with our top six suits for today's Desk-Bound Buy edit.

The Romance Was Born design duo love pushing creative boundaries come fashion week, and their 2012 MBFWA presentation lacked none of the theatrics that they're known (and loved) for. The inspiration came from comic book heroes, resulting in a super-saturated collection filled with punchy graphics done with plenty of kitsch and a lick of humour. Skirts were architectural, peplums were origami-like in construction and shoulders exagerated. It was bright, it was bold, it was fun! The play with prints was especially skilled, resulting in optical-illusion shifts in monochrome and a particularly zingy yellow and black pantsuit. Wearable, it was not — but RWB doesn't design for the everyday. Up, up and away!

• Colours: Bold, primary hues, gold foil and monochrome mixes.
• Trends: Graphic prints, super hero motifs, sculptured silhouettes, print-clashing.
• Key Looks: A gold foiled print dress, scultpured peplum and shoulder shapes, optical illusion monochrome print clashing and spikey embellishments.
  
• Accessories: Forearm armour in punchy prints, solid platform stilettos in bold colours and flame red wigs.
  
• Front Row: The sass & bide girls, Susie Bubble, Kate Waterhouse, Jenny Kee.

For Autumn/Winter 2012, Giambattista Valli honed in on the neo-lady — a different breed of ladylike sensibility that mixed edgier prints with classically tailored silhouettes. The result? A mashup of brightly patterned chiffon, major fur embellishments, matchy-matchy suits, an updated take on houndstooth, and sheer pleated skirts to start. While the overarching theme was markedly femme sophistication, Valli took care to never let that steer him away from a bright colour palette (orange! red! gold!), prints on prints, and see-through details. A perfect example of this can be found in a menswear-inspired suit set decked out in a bold geo-pattern, or in the sleek frocks adorned with a dropwaist-esque hem and embellished with fur. It's an interesting mix of evening-suitable looks injected with a totally youthful quirk.

• Trends: Peplum sweaters, ladylike pencil skirts and modest sheaths, cinched waists, fur-lined hems, bold printed suits, sheer pleats, and patterned chiffon.
• Colours: Black, white, red, gold, orange, and burgundy.
• Key Look: We loved the fluid movement of the sheer pleated skirts — such a flirty feminine look — and the inclusion of bright patterns.
• Accessories: Metallic waist belts and super chunky ankle-strap platforms.
• Who Would Wear It: Red carpet A-listers like Emma Stone, Reese Witherspoon, Salma Hayek, and Diane Kruger.