Layering was key for Martine Rose's Spring Summer '12 proposition, showing as part of the three MAN collections again this year at the Topman space held in the Royal Opera House. Once again taking shirts and tailoring to new levels with her street but sophisticated line, this season there was a new feeling from Martine. Martine's aesthetic is one that is inherent within her collection, but over the past few seasons we have seen her take things forwards a great deal, consistently adding new elements and pushing herself and her line on.

Sheer shirts opened the show, layered over brights and a graffiti inspired print, which was seen in a number of pieces including fantastic all over printed slimline trousers. The shirting came through in a number of different forms, as ever, with horizontal strips of colour set off against a white base. Then it was a number of pieces of denim, adding a new direction, produced in a dark grey and a medium blue. It was denim jackets and looser cut jeans over the top of super colourful shirts. Huge wide cropped trousers also made an appearance, adding a look previously unseen from Rose, but still giving a nod in her direction.

Dazed Digital: What did you pull through from the last season into this one?
Martine Rose: Working with length was something that I was interested in that came through from the previous collection, obviously the shirts and then for the show itself the street casting. I don't know if there is anything specific that I have followed on with but perhaps its more about the attitude of the collection.

DD: What were the references for this collection?
Martine Rose: This season I thought about the 70s skate scene and a lot of the boys that walked wee actually skaters. We made a film as well with Hidden Agency, they shot some of my collection on the boys actually skating.

DD: Where did you cast the boys from?
Martine Rose: Joel Bough does all the casting. The boys are street cast from various different places, he is just incredible with the way he sees things and so fierce. I wouldn't rattle him. I think the boys made that mistake once or twice and were whipped back into shape. It was definitely a sight to behold!

DD: How did that skate scene influence translate into the clothes themselves?
Martine Rose: Well, the colours were all really washed out and sun-bleached, that was a big inspiration, thinking about California and that whole Dogtown and Z Boys vibe. Also the sheers were inspired by that, and obviously Kurt Cobain performing in a dress had a lot to do with it.