Being Stylish All The Way: Fashion Week S/S 2013 Invitations

I could have just said "Like father, like son" if it came to define the similarities in the human relations between the immediate relatives, but in this case, it's more like "Like fashion designer, like fashion show invitation" and I would not be far from remaking the saying to reflect what you are about to see. 

I find these fashion show invitations - fabulous. This is a selection of the finest fashion week invitations from the womenswear collections. I truly believe that a fashion show invitation from the likes of Stella McCartney, YSL, Burberry, and Kenzo reflect the vision of the designers and their collection - it should be on the same 'wave', so to speak - not far from what the audience's about to see. You can see some signature graphics and visual traits on the invitations that speak the fashion brand of that particular designer.

What's your favorite from this bunch?

Burberry Prorsum: Christopher Bailey celebrated London's skyline, recreating it in laser-cut pop-up form.

Kenzo: A box covered in a bold, leafy camouflage - echoing S/S 2013 patterns - slid open to reveal a coordinating invitation card and irridescent stone engraved with the Kenzo tiger.

Acne: Simplicity is always the MO at Acne, whose thick invitation came embossed with the company's identity in a sans-serif block font.

Emporio Armani: Armani's clutch-like invitation envelope could also fit your cash and keys, if you were inclined to accessorise with it. The substantial card inside was printed with barely there silver text.

Stella McCartney: Printed on holographic stock with irridescent edging, Stella McCartney's witty offering was affixed with a pair of 'drinking specs', a nod to the optical illusions created in her textural designs.

Maison Martin Margiela: The geek in us appreciated this magic-slate invitation from Margiela, which revealed the show details when rubbed with a determined finger - before hiding them again once it had cooled down.

Etro: A soupçon from Etro's wild paisley and flower print collection came in the post in the form of a floral-printed card and matching scarf, bordered in the brand's signature paisley.

Gucci: Always good, and currently gold, Gucci's was a smooth white flip-up card propped up with a metallic band.

Louis Vuitton: Models walked a yellow checkerboard catwalk and climbed a yellow-striped escalator at Louis Vuitton, so yellow was the natural choice for fuzzy-pipecleaner lettering on a perfect square of a card.

Jil Sander: Minimalism on the runway, minimalism on the card. Jil Sander sent out just the facts in glossy black and white with a finish of bold red trim.

Céline: Phoebe Philo's invitations were simple, streamlined and classic Céline - with a hint of psychedelic colour around the edge to lighten the mood.

Chloé: A classic invitation came complete with perfectly-formed calligraphy.

Roger Vivier: Keeping the Parisian laser-cutters in business, Roger Vivier unveiled its latest feat: a metallic red overlay that unfolded to reveal a traditional scripted invitation.

Tod's: Rivets and stitches were interpreted in silver on a black ground. The metallic print glowed with subtle irridescent colour.

Miu Miu: The invitation and seat-marker from Miu Miu added substance to style. Card made from wood was stained toasty brown, edged in gold and affixed with a fabric label.

Hermès: An origami artwork came in colours resembling tanned leather from Hermès, a nod to the brand's heritage and the architectural cut of the clothes.

Haider Ackermann: Oversized handwritten-style lettering gave a striking graphic panache to a Haider Ackermann's rectangular card.

Akris: Creative director Albert Kriemler paid homage to the great architect Roberto Burle Marx for his Spring collection. The sculptural invitation and press pack featured an abstract textured representation of Burle Marx's Banco Safra Headquarters roof garden in Sao Paulo.

Fendi: Outlined in bright block hues, Fendi's invitation card hinted at the Spring collection creative director Karl Lagerfeld showed on the runway - indirectly influenced by the colours and architectural furniture shapes of Ettore Sottsass' Memphis design collective.

Junya Watanabe: A grid of die-cut circles packed a punch on Junya Watanabe's futuristic silver offering.

Givenchy: Following suit from the previous season, Givenchy sent out an invitation pack enclosed with a limited-edition print, elegantly numbered on the jacket of the folder. 'Carmine/Givenchy' by M/M (Paris), 2012, was the artwork for Spring.

SW1: Paired with a powdery yellow and white palette, the subtle debossing effect on SW1's envelope and card drew all focus to the brand's logo.

Margaret Howell: A multi-textural delight, enhanced by the all-cream card.

Saint Laurent Paris: New creative director Hedi Slimane marked a new chapter for the house of Yves Saint Laurent by sending out a discreet black notebook, which opened up to reveal pages detailing different photographs of the brand's mesmerising Babycat print.

Salvatore Ferragamo: An elegant die-cut logo adorns the brand's Spring invitation.

John Galliano: Bold and outsized, in jaunty Spring hues, Galliano's invitation came in a long glossy turquoise envelope. Inside it played with text and texture. I didn't know he was actually back on the fashion scene after the scandal last year! In a very selfishly fashionable way I'm glad he is back because he's one very talented, extraordinary designer.

Peter Pilotto: A bright neon background, contrasted with bold dark sans serif type.

Mary Katrantzou: The themes of money and stamps - as seen in this oversized black postage stamp affixed with a copper penny - were the riffs on which Mary Katrantzou played in her print-heavy collection.