When I can’t sleep, I look through slideshows from runway collections. (It’s a new habit, but an enjoyable and relaxing one.) The entire Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2008 ready-to-wear collection is splattered with paint, a little at first, but exploding into a veritable Jackson Pollock by the end of the runway show. (I encourage you to take a look at it, because the gowns at the end are truly works of art.)

I chose this dress amongst the last few glamorous, paint-dribbled gowns in the collection because it was not only an awe-inspiring print – it’s also a unique silhouette. The other gowns are similar in shape to the Christian Diors and Oscar de la Rentas and Marchesas that I post about all the time; this one felt more structurally unique. It certainly has elements of Marchesa and Vera Wang draped cocktail dresses, but the black crinoline peeking out from behind the skirt and the bodice add such a unique element, both in structure and texture. That shock of bright lilac paint on the skirt is astounding; the matching shoes prove that Dolce & Gabbana have the keenest eyes for detail.

Sometimes I feel as if designers only bother to show a fascinating print or a fascinating structure, but rarely both, for fear of going over-the-top or biting off more than they can chew. But D&G dare to go there, and the result is dark, dangerous, and delicous.