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DIYs to Try from Fashion Weeks Around the World: Autumn/Winter 2012 from A-Z

Mar 15, 2012 | DIY, Fashion

(Well, “from A-V” at least!;-)  I was going to follow up on my first post “DIYs to Try from New York Fashion Week” with a “Part 2,” but in the interim the rest of the world has had Fashion Weeks, so I figured it would be best to just collect all the inspiration in one big post.

So here it is, from New York to London to Milan, some great DIY inspiration for Autumn/Winter 2012:

Use a pieces of white and orange duct tape to create a belt, adding two pieces of velcro as a closure like at Acne. Also add some rings or bits of metal from the hardware store on the side!

Get two knit dresses, one black, one white. Cut each in half and sew the different-colored halves together like at Alice + Olivia (give the other finished dress to your bestie!)

DIY was simple and chic at Barbara Bui – and you can use a piece of black ribbon tied in a bow under the collar of your white blouse for a whole new look! (Psst- it’s an upcoming trend in Japan according to this month’s Vivi Magazine!) You can also make a belt from a strip of leather and two large ribbon choker crimp end clasps found from your local jewelry supply shop.

Bottega Veneta went all-out with the Swarovski bling – and you can get the look by gluing a heap of pretty, sparkly gems over your favorite fitted midi dres (hint: buy in bulk!).

Copy the new way to tailor trousers that Celine put forth: pleat and sew in zippers on the front of the shins to gather the excess fabric to your body. Instant femininity!

Christian Dior showcased wrapped-and-coiled gem necklaces. Super-easy to make with satin piping (from the trims section of the sewing store) or rope and oversized cabochons.

David Koma showed some insane tailoring and cutouts; get the look by cutting out the shoulders on a turtleneck shell (sew or glue on contrast piping to create a finish), and punch grommets at the waistline to thread a black belt through. Sleek and futuristic!

Go paint-crazy and make a Gary Graham-inspired topper using a neutral coat and primary-colored fabric paints dabbed, sponged, and masked over the top.

LOVE the colorblocking on the tights at Issey Miyake: totally doable following this tutorial using a pair of grey tights and some acrylic (!) paint.

Jason Wu‘s fur-covered sleeves on his boxy jacket made a statement – and they’re so doable following this tutorial on a thrifted navy blazer. (Using faux fur, of course!;-)

Jen Kao‘s dip-dye dress is easily achieved using a white lace dress and some dye appropriate for the fabric (RIT for cottons; iDye for synthetics)

Kelly Wearstler‘s grommet-sided skirt is just begging to be DIY’d…and those socks can easily be made by chopping up some black short stockings.

That blouse from Libertine reminded me so much of that Simply Screen Screenprinted Tree Skirt I made awhile ago…just download my PDF pattern here [it’s free!] and print it out on a transparency to use for the screenprinting kit. If you’re not into screenprinting, you could also freehand that white (lightning bolt?) with some fabric paint and a thin brush down the front of a sheer black blouse.

Replacing the buttons with big, bold, flower-shapes on a neutral jacket (and adding a line of them down the sides of the matching pants!) is a must at Louis Vuitton.

Make the new generation of fur neckwarmers using a strip of faux fur with a piece of fabric at each edge, securing with gold snaps, like at Marni.

Take a velvet sheath dress into statement dress territory by layering a tone-on-tone layer of lace over the top, cutting the edges according to the lace pattern. Accessorize with a wide black belt and add a chain through the belt-holes like at McQ.

Go for the ultimate colorblock by spraypainting a big bold line of fabric paint across the bottom of a chunky, neutral sweater, like at Paule Ka.

Create a beautifully unqiue skirt by gluing satin ribbons to it to create a grid pattern. Air out your shoulders a bit by cutting (and topstitching the cut edges!) of a chunky sweater, all inspired by Roland Mouret.

Add some interest to a neutral shell by gluing on some textured faux-croc strips (from the upholstery section in the fabric store!), like at Sachin + Babi.

See by Chloé had a sporty take on the suit blazer by sewing a channel at the waist and threading a thick rope through, ending it in beads for a quirky waist-cinch.

Make a cute belt with a wide black velvet ribbon fashioned into a bow (Bowdabra, anyone?), and place a brooch on top like at Temperly London.

Add interest to a simple bright t-shirt by making teardrop-shaped cutouts and backing each with a small piece of sheer organza or chiffon, like at Tracy Reese.

Add some chic military styling to a tight long dress with some added black faux pockets, gold buttons, and epaulets like at Victoria Beckham.

Happy DIY’ing!

xoxox
Carly

all photos from Style.com; photo collages by me.

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