BCBG Max Azria Pre-Fall 2012 Collection

For the past few seasons at BCBG Max Azria, designers Max and Lubov Azria have been emphasizing a floaty and streamlined, often floor-sweeping silhouette. They described pre-fall as "Slavic soul meets bohemian spirit," and there was a folkloric feel to the collection's most distinctive piece, namely, an accordion-pleat printed wool skirt with intricate embroidery and grosgrain accents.

In general, this lineup picked up where Spring left off. BCBG's now-signature cutout shoulders, handkerchief hemlines, sporty drawstring details, and pops of neon appeared here again. At times, the combination of these elements erred on the overwhelming side. Only a girl with the sartorial audacity (not to mention killer bod) of Abbey Lee Kershaw, for example, could pull off look 17: a racy halter maxidress with denim-printed silk and peekaboo lace panels running along the bust and up both legs. But more often than not, the Azrias combined the aforementioned motifs in a way that was fresh and wearable.