Fashion Feature: Katya Leonovich Spring 2012

image:S.Whittle for Style Wylde

Hyper pigmented pieces that seem to cling to the models as if they were mere remnants of clothing that had been torn off, paired with over the top hair, otherworldly make-up, and a perplexing array of football-themed paintings made for a startling initial reaction to the Katya Leonovich Spring 2012 collection. But after a few moments, as eyes begin to adjust to the dark space, the brain starts to process what it's seeing, and the imagery begins racing in. Pageantry, violence, the modern gladiator filling stadiums across the world,  the Katya Leonovich collection was an ode to spectator sports, with a sly wink to the darker side of humanity which cheers professional teams on with an often alarming level of bloodlust.  

image:S.Whittle for Style Wylde

image:S.Whittle for Style Wylde

image:S.Whittle for Style Wylde

In the current fashion industry climate, where many designers seem  frightened of committing to bold ideas or not necessarily for the mass-market concepts, there was something really satisfying about seeing a young designer really  go for it, with as much gusto as Leonovich did in creating this collection.  And although not every look can be called 100% "wearable" there were many high points in the collection, such as the explosively colorful dresses erupting with creative energy, and the elaborately cut denim pieces that were richly textured,  that made the collection a favorite of the week.

For more information on Katya Leonovich, please visit the designer's official home page.