I am a fan of Michael Van Der Ham. He is known for his colourfully collaged aesthetic, something that he continues to grow and develop with each season. Whereas his first collection featured vintage pieces all collaged together, his SS12 show did not feature as much. However, he still stayed true to his design aesthetic, and kept his creative streak pretty much alive! You just have to look closer....
Being a print child myself, I am always drawn to look at the prints in a collection first, and this did not let me down. Van Der Ham has a lot of things going on...enough to draw you in but not too much where your head might explode. He has the right balance down to a tee. I particularly liked his abstract lined floralesque pattern on white backgrounds, combined with colourblocking border panels. delightful.
Not only does he show his creativity through the use of print, he also uses it to add quirky design details on simple garment shapes. I loved the use of triple layer raw-edged appliquéd on edges. oh and the side split edge on skirts/dresses that revealed another layer.
His collections are becoming more and more commercial, which no doubt is expanding his customer base. Let's hope he knows when to stop before he loses what made him different in the first place- fearlessness of fabric combining, unfinished raw edging and unexpected colour palettes.
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