Passion For Luxury : Naeem Khan Spring 2012

Naeem Khan has done a great deal of connecting in his illustrious career. Now in his eighteenth season, his identifiable gowns are in stores and on women all over the world. His calling card is his special sense of how to fuse Indian textiles and techniques with Western glamor. In his Fall 2012 collection, that matchless fingerprint was on display for most of the show but their were two uncharacteristic elements that muddied the waters.

The collection for the most part was pure Naeem Khan, brilliant embroidery and bead work in metallics and jewel tones played off of dark backgrounds. The silhouette was primarily long and tight which, although it has emerged as the look of the season, has been Mr. Khan’s preference since he began. His focus this season was, as it always is, on the heavy and intricate ornamentation that he uses with great flair all over his work.

Incredible prints that resembled tile mosaics were softened by their use on a delicate felt, which helped them achieve a luxurious easy elegance. Black, gold, silver, and pearl were in abundance, often done in very transparent looks which added a strong feel of sexuality, which is often lacking in glamorous evening wear in general. Naeem Khan doesn’t mind getting the heart racing a bit, and it’s a nice jolt when he does it. The odd deviation in the middle of the collection into high-volume bottom dot print dresses and skirts was a jolt of a different sort.