In anticipation of Seoul Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2016, MUTZINE will be looking back at the prominent runway trends from the past five years. For this second installment, we discuss how the color orange, sheer fabrics, metallics, and color blocking were everywhere in Spring/Summer 2012. Catch up by checking out the trends from SFW SS11.

Words Cathy Wang, Photos Michael Hurt and designers, Art Sam Cello

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

Given the number of collections that featured orange in their color palette, all different shades of the hue may have very well been the new black in Spring/Summer 2012. Both menswear and womenswear featured orange in garments and beauty, adding a fresh summer feel to the collections.

beyond closet showed orange shorts and jackets for both men and women. A peachy hue of orange was also washed across the models’ cheeks, giving them a sun-kissed and fun summery look. General Idea created similar anoraks from last year, but upgraded them with a happy orange colorway. The Resurrection show opened with bright, pumpkin orange jackets before gradually phasing out into a beige palette.

An almost fluorescent orange was the key color at NOHKE J, alongside black. Though that color combination could easily veer towards Halloween kitsch, the colors were evenly integrated with sharp lines, making for a strong and impactful collection. Jardin de Chouette utilized an orange shade that was borderline red to highlight strong shoulder silhouettes and svelte dresses. pushBUTTON had a softer shade of orange from head to toe in two consecutive looks. The two dresses were long, easy-flowing summer sheaths styled with orange sandals and a dusting of orange blush.

SHEER GENIUS

Sheer and see-through clothing holds the potential to be garish, given the amount of skin that can be seen. However, on the runways of Seoul, chiffons served to tastefully reveal only small slivers of skin and they were layered over other fabrics, giving them an extra dimension.

Resurrection was one of the only menswear collections to dare to bare some skin with sheer elements. Belly button-skimming tank tops were made of black, sheer material and styled with smart jackets. A black and blue chevron shirt covered the most skin of the sheer looks, yet it revealed the most.

KAAL E.SUKTAE was innovative with sheer paneling in all pieces of a full outfit. The blouse featured alternating opaque and sheer stripes. Layered on top of it was a jacket with sheer lace sleeves. Even the pants had mesh paneling down the sides of the leg. SOULPOT STUDIO showed a very boxy, futuristic collection, but one of the standout looks was a soft chiffon covering multicolored shorts. Steve J & Yoni P had fun by creating sheer jumpsuits that revealed a floral print underneath. A sheer white underskirt created the illusion of length while still exposing some skin.

MALLEABLE METALLICS

Metallics are a great way to add some sparkle and shine to an outfit without incorporating flamboyant sequins or glitter. In addition to traditional golds and silvers, rich jewel tones were elevated with a subtle metallic sheen this season.

For men, a gunmetal, space-gray jacket or suit is always an easy way to make a statement with some shine. Caruso showed tailored, gunmetal shorts and jackets as a summer option. As for casual and streetwear, KYE kicked it up a notch with a machine gun and skeleton themed collection. Gold was everywhere from the glitter-encrusted boots to the small details on hats and shirts. There were even two looks that were head-to-toe gold.

Womenswear featured a much more colorful style of the metallic trend. In the midst of psychedelic tie-dye garments, Lie Sang Bong created a beetle-like shimmering top that acted as armor on the model. Similarly, pushBUTTON layered an iridescent corset restricting an already skin-tight, striped two-piece outfit. That same metallic material was used to subtly line the collars of more basic blouses. Doii is known for fun, flirty, and playful designs, but this deep purple dress was a great example of how to translate that same spirit into evening wear. With a metallic sheen and not a full-out sparkle, the final product was elegant yet sparkling.

GEOMETRIC COLOR BLOCKING

This season, the ubiquitous trend of color blocking was taken to a new level by mixing complementary colors and matching different textiles in geometric shapes. Instead of just styling solid-color pieces together, orange, metallic, and sheer fabric panels were sewn together like patchwork.

MVIO employed various color blocking techniques. Futuristic, clean cut jackets had different colored sleeves, collars, and pockets. Fluid shirts and cardigans had a color blocking print which tricked the eye. Finally, the traditional color blocking method was also shown with cobalt blue pants and a peach polo. Similar to MVIO, General Idea showed men’s shirts with graphic details. The collars, pockets, sleeves, and ties were all different colors that created a harmonious blend of tones in one shirt.

Color blocking does not only exist by matching complementary colors; Johnny Hates Jazz patched together a gradation of blue colors in sheer fabrics to create blouses and tops with visual depth. the Studio K employed a similar navy blue palette, but created triangular panels of fabrics and cutouts, making the exposed skin an extra piece of the puzzle. Moon Young Hee pieced together long strips of color on top of a basic black shift dress to create a Mondrian-esque look.