From left to right, Versace, Alexander McQueen & Chanel. Photos: Imaxtree

Come spring, designers draw inspiration from florals, forests and sometimes surf, but for 2012 a handful dove deeper—to the bottom of the ocean floor. Though not all were as literal as Chanel, which turned the Grand Palais into a whitewashed aquarium, the sea made its way into at least four collections. Lagerfeld used pearls on almost every look and turned conch shells into evening clutches (how has no one thought to do that before?!) while Sarah Burton infused waves, jellyfish and sea anemones into most of her collection for Alexander McQueen. At Versace, above left, Donatella was more playful. She printed purple starfish and blue seahorses onto hot pants and shift dresses or studded starfish shapes onto leather bodices. And lastly, at Givenchy, Riccardo Tisci took that mermaid inspiration that Lagerfeld was so disinterested in and turned it into something quite attractive: scuba-like pants, dresses with fins and jackets layered over silk to look like waves. Click here to see all the spring collections!