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33 Things That Inspired Fashion Designers and Their Collections

33 Things That Inspired Fashion Designers and Their Collections

By InStyle Staff

Updated Feb 08, 2017 @ 4:00 pm

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Well, all that sartorial magic has to come from somewhere, right? Whether it be a painting, a film, or an abstract concept, inspiration is all around us. And leave it to fashion designers to cash in on all this creative goodness and produce something stunning—like say, an entire ready-to-wear collection (oh, how blessed are we to live in a world alongside such creative geniuses?).

From an off-duty librarian aesthetic to the idea of glamorous camping, see what inspired designers and their upcoming 2017 clothing lines.

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Bonnie Young

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"Lost memories and untold stories."

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Claudia Li

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"Take me away to a different place and time."

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Cinq À Sept

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"Beautifully aged interiors evoke a feeling of nostalgia and romance."

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ICB

Javier Camacho Gimeno

"Worldly and courageous, always exploring new horizons, the ICB girl finds herself amongst snow-capped summits and icy peaks this season."

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LELA ROSE

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"Flower fields of fantasy."

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JI OH

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"Girls Gone Wild."

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Christian Siriano

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"Hive."

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NAEEM KHAN

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"Cleopatra."

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Jil Sander Navy

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"Parisian."

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Ohlin D

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"Off-duty librarian."

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NOVIS

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“I used Danish and Swedish modern design as the inspiration and starting off point for the for the NOVIS Autumn/Winter 2017 collection. I was particularly drawn to the contrast between linear shapes and more fluid and round design sensibility, which I have explored through use of florals, plaids, and textures and seaming details.” – Jordana Warmflash, Founder & Creative Director, Novis

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Pamella Roland

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“I was inspired by a recent trip to see Rothko’s latest exhibition at the Pace Gallery. Rothko’s use of color in his entire body of work is the core of my Fall/Winter 2017 collection.” — Pamella Roland

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Raquel Allegra

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"Harmony." — Raquel Allegra

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Sally LaPointe

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"My inspiration was in creating an intimate moment. An allure that draws you in and keeps you wanting more." — Sally LaPointe

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Stephanie Rad

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“The fabrics in my Fall/Winter 2017 collection were inspired by Mathieu Lehanneur’s liquid marble series, which shows a sculpture that appears to be moving water but is in fact just a sculpture.” — Stephanie Rad

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Ulla Johnson

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"Undone glamour."

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Tanya Taylor

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“1920s Meisen robes.”

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Brooks Brothers

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"Timeless classic." — Zac Posen

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ZIMMERMANN

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“The Maples” is the name of one of the buildings which was used to house students of the Women’s College at Sydney University following World War One. I have fond memories of conversations with my grandmother, who I was very close to growing up, and what it was like living in Sydney in the 20’s. The starting point for the collection became a look at the life of female students attending the university during the time. We looked at these amazing photos—young women playing sport wearing traditional men’s attire—cricket whites and team blazers—slouchy sweaters, oversized coats. They smiled, they had defiance and there was something a bit roguish about it all. I’m always drawn in by a sense of optimism. And then there was the photos of the nights—thoughts of smoky danced-in rooms, a peeping sun at dawn, draped oriental silk pajama robes and demure bias drop waist dresses. The inspiration for the collection is more about the mood that the images evoked, rather than the dress of the period and the time itself.“ — Nicky Zimmermann, Creative Director, ZIMMERMANN

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CLUB MONACO

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“Patterns from a Romanian shawl and the film Time of the Gypsies sparked the inspiration behind the collection, but we’ve stayed true to our urban roots, mixing it up with crisp fabrics and sculptural shapes.” — Caroline Belhumeur, creative director and SVP of women’s design

“This season our overarching focus is pattern, incorporating florals and various renditions of stripes paired together in a novel way.” — Matthew Millward, vice president of men’s design.

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NICHOLAS K

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"90s hip hop." — Nicholas Kunz

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Edun

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"Carpet collector."

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LA PERLA

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"Leavers Lace meets RTW, further melding the lines between inner-wear and outerwear."

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Brock Collection

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“The exquisite detail and embroidery of Elizabethan era wedding dresses.”

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CREATURES OF COMFORT

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"GLAMPING."

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FRAME

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"Denim will always be at the heart of our collections. This season we continue to explore the crop flare, rigid fabrics and introduce embellishment with studs on key pieces like the oversized boyfriend jacket and mini skirt."

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Delpozo

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"Serenity."

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Jonathan Simkhai

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"That which is exquisite, yet powerful."

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PHILIPP PLEIN

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“Plush fur and sweatshirt fleece for a winter cape that combines luxury and comfort.”

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Zero + Maria Cornejo

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“Peeling back the layers of femininity.” — Maria Cornejo, Zero + Maria Cornejo

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PH5

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"This season we were inspired by Martin Creed’s work on the simple curve, the rhythm, and the lightness of a balloon."

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33 Things That Inspired Fashion Designers and Their Collections

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Bonnie Young

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Claudia Li

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Cinq À Sept

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ICB

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LELA ROSE

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JI OH

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Christian Siriano

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NAEEM KHAN

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Jil Sander Navy

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Ohlin D

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NOVIS

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Pamella Roland

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Raquel Allegra

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Sally LaPointe

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Stephanie Rad

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Ulla Johnson

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Tanya Taylor

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Brooks Brothers

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ZIMMERMANN

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CLUB MONACO

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NICHOLAS K

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Edun

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LA PERLA

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Brock Collection

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CREATURES OF COMFORT

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FRAME