minty fressssh

Acne menswear

Minty Hair

Gaga in Simone Rocha

Versace SS12

amazing vintage Hermes type writer (Miami)

ASOS patent mint loafers

Parisian Street Style in mint python

Spearmint pout - lippy by Lime Crime

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

Miami, D.C. prefer Versace

I always think of 90s fashion as subdued, the oversized and loose fitting Armani look for men and grungey heroin chic for women all tartan, fishnets and Doc Martin boots. However my generalisations of a decade are clearly flawed. I managed to forget the Versace affect! Gianni Versace was the purvayor of excess, he was to the 90s what Gaga is to today, which is why it is so apt that she has recently been bringing back his 90s designs with gusto. His outlandishly bright, baroque inspired prints are back in a big way. Everything about Versace was lavish from his creations to his Miami home and the way he eventually was tragically killed. Hip Hop stars of the era were nuts about Versace - I associate Biggie with his Versace shirts and shades as well as then Puffy and Lil' Kim in his bodycon numbers. In typical materialistic rap-style Biggie references 'My Mo-sci-no hoe, my Ver-sa-ce hottie' in 'Get Money'. Donatella has done a great job of continuing the flavour of excess whilst still moving with the cuts and materials of the time and focussing on the woman's body. However Gianni's regency inspired prints, in the words of Missy Elliot "cannot be duplicated or recycled."

3 supers repping Versace - then

Gaga, no words - now

Biggie Smalls - then

Gaga looking inspired in head to toe Versace - now

Helena Christensen - then

Donatella Versace with M.I.A - W magazing - now

J-j-j Jessie J now