Coming Out of the Dark

Ann Demeulemeester is one of the members of the original Antwerp Six who has shown amazing staying power since their beginnings in the 1980's. Her distinctive style has won her a devoted fan base that loyally accepts her every dark design impulse. A magical history tour of her past collections confirms her strong signatures, such as an infatuation with all things black, layered, bunched, and gathered.

While those familiar elements were certainly present in the looks above from her latest runway outing, she entered some unexpectedly colorful territory. Reviving a Spring RTW '05 experiment, she brought back shades of orange that seem to echo the sacred saffron robes of Buddhist Monks.

While it's a bit jarring to see the humble garments of non-materialism quoted in a high fashion setting, it is a welcome change of pace from Demeulemeester's regular fare. It brings a sense of optimism and light to her darkness.

She also showed some gorgeous crystal necklaces. My favorite was a piece that reminded me of a seriously refined version of the mobiles we used to make in elementary art class.

I love the cascade effect and the size of it.

Demeulemeester Images: Marcio Madeira for Style.com