Known for its fresh studies in pop-culture, Friend of Mine brazenly adapts a French accent for autumn winter 2012.

Uniting the chic spirit of modern Paris with its exotic musical influence, the label's ninth collection — No. 9 — revisits this city of love channelling icons such as Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin with uncensored appeal. Sheer silks, lush furs and unexpected flashes of skin evoke a passionate sensuality while soft suedes and patent leathers hint at the explicit.

Silhouettes are cut close to the body favouring the flirtatiously high hemlines of shift dresses and waisted miniskirts. This glimmer of feminine charm is mischievously offset by an underlying tomboy allure. Cigarette pants and loose shirting with wide, flared cuffs assert a sleek masculine presence, combining to result in a prevailing androgynous mood.

Bold accessories, including tough suede ankle boots and low slung hipster belts, subscribe to the unapologetic manifesto of this city’s evocative zeitgeist, while providing clear inflections of Friend of Mine designer Teale Talbot’s distinct personal style. Tarnished metal cross motifs and eroding crystal stones bring a modern and fearless grunge edge to this otherwise passion-fuelled vision.