One wouldn’t argue the association of summer with colours, be it in the garden or on clothing racks. But if you’re tilting away from the predictable colour palette of the spring 2012 season, then black and white should be your protocol. Londoners and Melbournians are often criticised for purposely injecting this colour palette on the streets of these cities, but you can’t blame them, a…

Celebrating 10 years of Alber Elbaz at Lanvin, and what makes the designer so successful – and likeable. One writer takes a look at body shapes through the decades, while another tries to pinpoint the problem with skinny models; and Charlotte Casiraghi makes the move into fashion. After the break are five reads worthy of your weekend.

An Art Deco inspired dress may have a vintage feel to it, but it’s not difficult to modernise the look away from the ’40s. At Gucci’s Milan fashion week show, Anna Dello Russo paired one of the house’s Deco-esque dresses with these: gold and python stilettos, the modern woman’s accessory for a decadent flapper look.

Just as we don’t expect to see swimwear photographed in black and white, we don’t expect to see a re-imagining of flapper fashion set amongst clouds of dirt. The glamour and excesses of the flapper girl have little place amongst the grit of nature. But it’s amongst such a setting that you’ll find you’ll find model Ginta Lapina as, amongst other things, she dons Gucci’s…

You know a swimwear label is doing it right, when it delivers a collection that’s riding high on the functionality radar, while still conforming to the season’s bikini trends and the brand’s unique aesthetic. Kooey highlights all the aforementioned essentials to drive the consumers wild, for the summer months to come, in their spring 2012 runway show at Australian fashion week (MBFWA) .

It's the trend that dared to bare and won. Sheer fashion remains a statement to make in spring / summer 2012, and our guide takes you through all the looks, from the subtle to the sexual, from the monochromatic to the colourful. Read on to find out all you need to know.

Kate Middleton, it is observed, can make a product sell out in seconds. But is she squandering the opportunity to more deeply influence the new generation’s views of the Monarchy? Meanwhile, Anna Dello Russo and Peter Dundas talk about female empowerment, Pucci, and of course, shoes, and a new book looks at the darker side of Jazz Age flapper icons. After the break are five…

The cloud of nostalgia floating over spring 2012 has swept golden hues into its mix, giving everything from flapper fashion to minimalism a metallic twist. This year gold doesn't have to be over-the-top glamorous or disco, though; it can be burnished and organic, flowing like liquid, bold or soft. After the break, a look at how to wear it and what colours to mix it with.

Fashion and irony have a love-hate relationship that’s as confused as it is confusing to those who don’t get it. Like when the uncool becomes cool because it’s uncool, or when genuine luxury products are styled to look a little like fakes – or at least like they’re being worn by someone who might wear their Guccii with their Luis Vuiton and expect no-one to…

A men's shoe can be a statement piece too - but that doesn't mean it has to be over the top. A textured finish like a leather weave adds volumes to your outfit for the spring / summer season. After the break, different styles that are on trend in 2012, how to wear them, and where to nab yourself a winning pair.