Many magazine editors are calling the latest straps and wraps showcased on many runways the Spring S and M trend or the Helmut Newton Trend. Helmut Newton was a seventies photographer who specialized in taking portraits of beautiful models in post rape and death scenes. Often they wore glamorous gowns but were strapped, gagged and bound.
The fashions on the runway for spring have a similar flair with lots of belts, buckles, wraps and other accessories. Everything is black, a dark coal or a flesh tone in hue. Dark coal and a light purplish grey color were also seen on the runway. A key item seen in many collections was the leather peplum top that is very tailored and the mid-length leather skirt. The designer at Moda Operandi paired a bra, a plain leather jacket with ribbed cuffs and a zip and a ribbed collar with a silk bra, no top and a just below the knee skirt.
Nina Ricci features a top that looked like black rags sewn together in a haphazard way draped to mid-length below the knee. Beneath the top was a sheer polka dot op from which trailed a single strap with a buckle that was not meant to be done up but instead bounce against the upper thigh as the model walked.
The Jean Paul version was a short capelet style top that was attached to a skirt by a web of straps that looked like bird cage. The tights on this outfit were also large crossed straps that were in turn linked to very high platforms with turned up toes.
Michael Kors has done an interesting mini dress for spring that features a high neck with a low-waisted belt that is reminiscent of the big metal Pierre Cardin belts. The Rodarte version of a mini dress is made of leather, built to look like muscle top on top and flared at the bottom – almost like a tennis dress but in leather.
Versace boasted some bizarre shoes. From the open toe to the knee cap was a series of leather straps attached to a very tall leather heel. At Salvatore Ferragamo the Helmut newton style sandal was open toed with a high heel and then leather wrapping from the top of the foot to above the knee. Prouenza Shouler showed a boot that was open toed and gridded at the back with a leather zip from the top of the foot to the knee.