Arthur Mendonça’s Fall/Winter 2012 collection is one of the few that I’m absolutely in love with.  From the salmon coloured, dolman sleeved dress to a long sleeved, turquoise gown with a centre slit, slim leather pants and shiny, patterned pieces, there’s something about the collection that is sophisticated, elegant and lady-like.  While there are some pieces that might not work on certain shapes – either overwhelming a figure or just plain uncomplimentary, there is definitely something for everyone and for many different occasions, ranging from the office to an evening gala.  And the hats, courtesy of Big it Up, added to many of the looks rather than being a distraction.

There is definitely a wide range of colours in this collection, so after viewing show after show of blacks and greys with only a small splash of colour, seeing a designer who decided to incorporate so much of it in a fall/winter collection was very welcoming and a breath of fresh air.  Though there were blacks in the collection, they were, with some exceptions, paired with other lighter or brighter shades.  There was also a lot of shine, either from the patent leather (such as the cranberry coloured coat) or with metallic accents. One thing to criticize about the collection, however, was the lack of a wider range of cuts for many of the skirts and shorter dresses – most of them were pencil or slimmer-shaped.  There were also two a-line looks, one dark and the other white, but they were solids.  It would have been nice to see a bit more colour, shine or texture with those shapes.  Of course, one could always add a bit of pop by pairing them with some shine, but that’s not really the same thing, is it?  That said, this was, as I mentioned earlier, a gorgeous, elegant collection that I am very much looking forward to.