Jenny Packham Spring 2012 Runway Show — Jerry Hall-Worthy Glamour

href=”http://www.twitter.com/sickathanavg”>@sickathanavg) you may have caught the awestruck messages I typed immediately after watching the Jenny Packham Spring 2012 show on Monday, September 12th. Packham managed to craft a riveting collection with regal looks spanning a rainbow of colors ranging from opal white to pistachio green, tangerine, Mediterranean-worthy azure, persimmon, geranium red, lime juice green, pale orange sorbet, and lemon drop yellow.

Inspired by blond siren Jerry Hall, who epitomized late ’70s and early ’80s glamour, the collection featured fluid, dreamy evening gowns with billowing silk chiffon skirts and diaphanous sleeves that seemed to melt off the body; ethereal organza trains; beaded floral accents and appliqués; chantilly lace detailing; jeweled accents along the waistline or shoulders; and feathered sequin drape accents.

Though many of the pieces boasted intricate detailing, even the simpler numbers felt extravagant — take, for example, the flowing white dress pictured second from top, a one-shoulder number with a single flutter sleeve, a pintucked detail at the cinched waist, and a wispy, asymmetrical skirt that slopes to the floor elegantly, starting above the right knee and cascading down in a gentle, angled trajectory.

Playful shorts and rompers incorporated the fine textiles seen in so many of the evening gowns, functioning as cheeky, slightly racy, day-to-night counterparts to the more opulent looks in the collection. Boudoir-esque but street-ready shorts in white lace with beaded accents were paired with a white, form-fitting sleeveless silk organza blouse covered with beaded floral accents in sky blue, lime green, magenta, and burnt orange (as shown above, fifth from top). The blouse’s floral motifs, meanwhile, were given the evening treatment with a beaded white tulle number featuring a snug silhouette, with the light fabric hugging the torso, hips, and thighs, then opening up in tulip-like form as the skirt trickled down to the floor (as pictured above, last).

A vintage-looking, floor-length silk chiffon dress dazzled thanks to the pistachio-colored silk slip layered underneath the sheer fabric, not to mention the risqué, plunging V-shaped neckline, and the opulent green jeweled brooch accent at the waistline (picture above, fourth from top). For more of a Studio 64-esque interpretation of glamour, Packham crafted glimmering sequin-adorned frocks like a nude-colored tulle dress with a mid-thigh hemline, long bell-shaped sleeves with skin-revealing slits along the top, a cinched waist, and feathered sequin draping (in other words, the sequins are arranged in wavy, drape-like lines all over the fabric).

But perhaps the most magnificent piece was a geranium red, silk chiffon dress with a satin bustier and hand-pleated, floor-length, paneled skirt (as shown above at top). The sexiness of the flamenco red hue created a passionate, romantic feel, while the blousiness and sheerness of the bodice’s chiffon overlay, the delicate pintucks beneath the slightly ruffled scoop neck, and the dainty short sleeves added an innocent charm. The skirt, meanwhile, magnetized as it glided and slunk above the floor with the model’s every step, the layers of fabric sauntering upward and seemingly floating in the air like feathers in the wind.

After watching the show, all I kept saying was, “That red dress!” Talk about a memorable piece!

Though the red dress alone felt like fashion poetry, the entire collection was a riveting ballad: feminine, fantastical and ever so graceful.

For more on the Jenny Packham SS12 collection, check out the photos below.