the life aquatic

Darryl Hannah as Madison in the 1984 film Splash

It appears that next spring there is noticeably something in the water, as fashion goes under the sea. Perennial fashion favourite Florence Welch was the latest brit girl to be noticed by Karl Lagerfeld as his muse du jour. The ethereal songbird emerged from a giant clam shell at Paris fashion week earlier this year and belted out 'What the water gave me' for a well-heeled crowd. Chanel's subaquatic fantasy collection set the tone for many other designers.

Chanel's whimsical sea shell clutch SS12

Charlotte Dellal screams Hollywood siren, with her tongue-in-cheek approach to dressing in this clam shell fascinator

Gaga as a Mermaid on a magazine cover

Underwater life prints at Mary Katrantzou

Surfer clutch by Jimmy Choo

Disney's Ariel - the original Mermaid

Florence and the Machine performing at the magical Chanel show

Hermes fishtail braid

McQueen SS12

Versace SS12