Hakaan’s Fall/Winter 2012 collection doesn’t cross any fashion boundaries, but it does walk right up to the edge of current seasonal trends and gives them a little push toward a more extreme style. The abundance of leather, the masculine silhouette, and the cropped trouser that have been so ubiquitous this season are given a new lease in Hakaan Yildirim’s capable hands. He ties it all together with futuristic cuts and glossy fabrics, which take a staid concept and breathe new life into it. The show opens with a bluntly-cut top that gleams in a pewter-tinted icy blue. This top is met with quilted sleeves and a matching pair of trousers, but it isn’t until a few looks later when this fabric is turned into a high-collared, figure-hugging blazer that we see how truly promising it is. Later, he exaggerates the peplum on a body-conscious dress to offer an alien warrior look to the ensemble. The uber-masculine full leather jumpsuit – crisscrossed with zippers – is one of the more challenging looks on the Hakaan runway. But, there are easy, wonderful pieces here that will flatter, like the brilliant red frock with sloping sleeves or the slim khaki mini-dress presented later in the show. Hakaan persists with his knack for colliding the worlds of the masculine and the feminine, and this collection contains smart looks that will appeal to Hakaan’s growing fan base.

written by GRACE GORDON|photos: courtesy of GoRunway