Fall 2011 fashion week has kicked off in New York.  I stumbled upon this jaw-dropping dress in Mary Katrantzou’s collection and have just recently managed to pick my mouth up and hinge it securely.

Mary Katrantzou is known for invoking the hyper-real through show-stopping, histrionic prints, causing the viewer’s near inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality.  This velvet appliqued dress compresses at the waistline and then abruptly swells into a pannier structured bottom, blossoming with dramatic patterns at each turn.  While the colors and silhouette dictate an overt, palpable boldness, the floral embellishments manage to blend a degree of softer elegance into this look.