It doesn’t take more than a single glance at Mary Katrantzou’s womenswear collection to see that her background is in textile design. Her Trompe L’oeil technique is so real that it is often difficult to tell if it is a print or actual embellishments on the clothing. The only downside is that her clothes, rather her works of wearable art, are so memorable that it could prove difficult to get more than a wear or two out of them. But – if you are anything like me…perhaps you don’t wear your special occasion pieces more than one or two times anyway!
Here are a few of my favorites from the Spring 2012 line. The details in the prints deserve some serious focus to really see all of the amazing elements that they have to offer.
It's like a color block garden...on a human.
I would totally wear this to a birthday party or throw on a simple white blazer and ballet flats to bop around town.
More of the Mullet look (short in front long in back). Love it. I also love how the print around the waist looks like an actual belt.
I don't think this look is specific to spring or summer. It would be really cute with black leggings or tights in the fall as well.
Seriously!!! How is this a print? It looks 3 dimensional, right?
Images courtesy of http://www.style.com
A Blonde in Beijing 
Hmmm, well it’s beautiful art, but I don’t know that it should be worn any where but a runway. The goldfish, those are goldfish right? The goldfish on the hi-lo dress are throwing it off for me. Her ability to make print appear 3-D is innovative, but there are too many elements thrown on each piece for me to appreciate them all. I’ll have to look again from a computer instead of my phone, but it’s not my favorite collection. The hi-lo outfit from the Temperly show was gorgeous & memorable. These are screaming to be remembered, but not for the right reasons.