Michael Van Der Ham Fall 2012 Runway Review

When emerging designers leave the nest, it’s sink or swim. We’ve seen so many promising young talents allow their point of view to be dulled by the needy press, anxious buyers, and insatiable public. Fortunately, for Michael van der Ham, this isn’t the case. After making his debut at Lulu Kennedy’s Fashion East, van der Ham has steadily, and with great success, worked to improve his brand. Known for his artful collage techniques, van der Ham sought growth this season by adding ladylike knitwear and bolder shapes to his repertoire. In the past, the striking juxtaposition of fabrics played star in the collection, often leaving the silhouette lacking, but this season the designer stepped up his shapes and produced a thoroughly wearable collection.

With old Hollywood inspirations, notions of glamour and femininity ran rampant, but as usual his focus was spliced and splashed across bold and beautiful textures. Fabrications such as lace, jacquard, and crushed organza were shown in a dramatic, but still wearable, fashion and with mega stockists such as Net-A-Porter behind him, it’s clear that van der Ham is just getting started.