H&M's Conscious Collection S/S12

 [Images via H&M]. 

 Even ethical clothing now involves 'doing an Angelina'...

This image reminds me of a cross between Peter Som's peacock blue dress as worn by Lea Michele, and Jil Sander's flashes of bright pink from S/S11. It's also a brilliant start to H&M's lastest drop in the Conscious Collection, which uses organic and recycled materials without compromising on fashionable shapes and details. I'm a big fan of the range (and I've blogged about it in the past), but this was a triumph in its use of designer influences.

 It's a floral cornucopia.

With fashionistas going bananas for intense flower-saturated fabric (take your pick from the very in demand Mary Katrantzou, Proenza Schouler, Diane Von Furstenberg, and Stella McCartney's petal-heavy adverts across the page of every high-end glossy magazine this season), H&M hit a no-brainer here. The garment's shape, with its below-the-elbow sleeves and short collar, keeps things retro and neat, which contrasts to the frenetic energy of the repetitive print.

 Beyond amazing, this dress is the cream of the crop.

I cannot describe how much I love this ruffle number, as hideous as it would probably appear on me. There's something amazing about making a life-size crinoline lady's outfit seem appealing, and the endless layers of rough-edged fabric running into each other are pretty spellbinding overall. This will definitely be getting some red carpet wear, especially as H&M has recently been enlisting A-listers to wear its designs for premieres. If you're not a film star, don't panic. This would make a great alternative wedding dress or an eye-catching evening look with a minimalist clutch and Paperself false butterfly lashes.

My own collage of product snippets, with original images from Perezhilton.com.

As you can see from this sneak peek of other designs, there's an emphasis on vintage styling and ultra-feminine dressing. I really think that S/S12 will be Conscious Collection's best season yet, with so many strong offerings that should be snapped up for their fashion credentials and their ethical origins.