Lady LUX

A fresh graduate of the London College of Fashion, the young and incredibly talented Stine Riis has already caught the attention of some of the most influential people in the industry. Her graduate collection, titled “Decadence & Decay,” exhibited her undeniably excellent design skills, earning her the H&M Design Award of 2012. Riis competed against graduates from 14 colleges in six countries to win having her collection shown at Stockholm Fashion Week, a prize of $65,000 and a few pieces of her collection sold in selected H&M stores this September.

It may have been her first collection to grace the runway, but this designer already displayed the skills of someone in the business for years. In each of her designs, Riis paid particular attention to the construction and technique, ensuring her items fit well and flattered the body.

LadyLUX via Stockholm Fashion Week

Riis said in a press release, “I wanted to draw attention to the construction and process of making each garment because that is what I appreciate about clothes and makes me want to wear them for years instead of just one season.”

She called it “tailored futuristic elegance” – and the collection embodied exactly that. Each garment united different materials and at least two subtle colors in clean, straight-lined silhouettes, resulting in sophisticated, colorblocked affairs. Turtlenecks and sweaters were color contrasted like baseball tees. Jackets were paneled in blue, navy and rusty orange and paired with navy pants featuring a green tuxedo stripe. Pencil skirts had blocks of opposite color shades, while high-waist trousers had wide bands. Even chubby fur vests and tops were two-toned.

The fresh designer also demonstrated restraint in styling. Most recent grad designers would feel the need to add too much or over-design, but Riis maintained style with the right color combinations, minimal accessories, sleek ponytails and proper ensemble proportions.

LadyLUX via Stockholm Fashion Week

Riis clearly deserved the H&M Design Award and with the generous prizes, we should be seeing more of her work soon.

“I have always wanted to set up my own label,” she said, “but unless you have savings or an investor, it’s very difficult. I am so excited to have won the award. Maybe winning this competition will make my dreams possible.”

This article was contributed by Annette Tang of the VersaStyle. You can follow Annette and her fashion adventures on Twitter at @theversastyle.

Tagged in: runway, fall 2012, ready-to-wear, stockholm, stockholm fashion week, stockholm fashion week fall 2012, stine riis, h&m design award, h&m,

Fashion / Runway