Spots

When the boys from Vanishing Elephant shared an Instagram snap of their MBFWA site visit with us last week, but we didn't imagine the scale of the space where last night they made their first fashion week debut. And they did they fill it! The Vanishing Elephant fan club was waiting outside, happy to stand if it meant seeing the show. The clothes were, as expected, a clever mix of casually minimal and just-left-of-centre street stuff that would make wanna-be-hipsters and classicists alike go weak at the knees. The Vanishing Elephant aesthetic eschews predictable trends in favour of timeless off-duty styles with detail-driven points of difference and after five years of practise, these boys have got the look down pat.  

• Colours: Khaki, navy, black, white, chambray blue, tangerine and faded pastels.
• Trends: Bold stripes, suiting, tropical prints, and cropped trousers.
• Key Looks: Hibiscus print chinos for the boys and girls, snappy suiting in bold stripes, unisex shark-print shirts and one mega-amazing navy and black spliced leather bomber jacket.
• Accessories: Strand Hatters panama hats, sharp ankle-strap heels from Wanted Shoes, Pink Lou Lou jewellery, woven belts, socks worn with brogues, reflective sunglasses and the odd nose ring.

Those CAMILLA AND MARC kids are mighty clever. The Spring/Summer debut of their diffusion label C&M CAMILLA AND MARC was (unsurprisingly) a runaway success, so Camilla Freeman-Topper and Marc Freeman have come back for a second season — fulfilling our Autumn/Winter fantasies with a collection that draws from collegiate sorority sisters, off-duty model types and front-row editrix fixtures. Luxuriously oversized leather pants mix it with varsity jackets, heart-print denim make a sweet match for jewel-adorned grey marle sweats and classic khaki separates are perfectly pitched against chambray two-piece suits. In short, it's all the lust-inducing pieces that the mainline does so well — but with a smaller price tag. We likey. The collection drops in-stores, online and in David Jones store nationally this week. We suggest you take advantage of this VIP preview before things start selling out (again). 

If you haven't hit the shops recently, why not let your fingers do the walking? Or clicking, specifically. Country Road's Autumn/Winter 2013 collection hit racks in-store (and online) this week, and the range offering is so good we felt it our duty to give you a pictorial preview. There are two speeds to this range; either low-fi grunge-inspired weekend hero peices with a distinctly utilitarian vibe — think camouflage (hurrah!) skinnies, spliced-sleeve army jackets and studded tees. Then there's the more clean-cut, modish collection that operates on a higher level of polish — with sophisticated tailored separates and graphic silk-screen prints; perfect for desk to dinner dates. Shall we. . . ? 

Nothing makes us want to reinvigorate our wardrobe with a "New Year, new you" attitude more than a bright, impeccably styled J.Crew look book. Shot among the dunes of the White Sands National Monument in New Mexico, with three punchy hot-air balloons as "props," the preppy-cum-cool US brand's tried-and-true pieces got a new lease on shelf life via vibrant hues, reworked denim classics, crisp pointed-collar blouses, sequined pencil skirts, Panama hats and more polka dots than you could shake a stick at. Peep the Up, Up, and Away editorial when you keep clicking.

With Karen Walker, you know you're always in for a dose of quirk, and for Spring 2013, her designs took us on a time-traveling Space Age trip. Or, as the programme notes, it's a collection of "1950s optimism blended with all things celestial." Translation: playful galactic prints were sent out via retro shapes (high-waisted, wide-leg trousers; cropped trapeze jackets; and sunny shiftdresses), giving each outfit a cheeky duality of past vs. future. Get your first look at the Karen Walker Spring 2013 collection now — and be sure to check back soon for our full review.

OK, ignore the fact that it's probably a balmy 28 degrees in NYC for a second, and Miranda Kerr is happily skipping around in a pair of lightweight shorts. And ignore her killer pins, if you can, for just a moment. We're trying to demonstrate something here. Statement prints are big news this season, and thanks to MBFWA they are set to stay big for Spring/Summer '12-'13. The best way to get more bang for your buck is by doubling up with a print-on-print combo. Thanks to Ms Kerr we're newly inspired to nail the look, albeit with a little more coverage. Wanna know how? Step inside and take our quick lesson in print-mixing 101. . .

Not to generalise, but we don't know a fashion-loving gal who hasn't got a thing for New York City. Karlie Kloss has gone and put a firecracker under our desire to move to the Big Apple, courtesy of the Free People January campaign, lensed by Guy Aroch. Aside for the on-trend offerings from the US chain (floppy hats, plaid, It knits, statement trousers the list goes on... ), Karlie makes cute on a day of sight-seeing around NYC. Can't afford the return trip? Step inside and take stroll down Fifth Avenue with Ms Kloss.