Get ready for a season of short hemlines, colourful inspirations and yesteryear fashion.
Mini
There’s no stopping thighs from going on show as temperatures rise. At Chanel, creative director Virginie Viard replaced skirts from the brand’s iconic tweed suits with tailored shorts and rompers with bodices fashioned from Chanel jackets. Even Miuccia Prada’s collection of predominantly midi-length hemlines saw token super-short wonder, worn by Dutch model Silte Haken who walked exclusively for the Milanese house — her initials proudly embroidered in the corner of the sporty white number.
From left to right: Valentino, Louis Vuitton, Hermès and Chanel.
Bermudas
If last Spring/Summer’s ubiquitous bike shorts were anything to go by, then Bermuda shorts will have its place in a dressy woman’s wardrobe. Clare Waight Keller’s emerald Bermuda suit at Givenchy demonstrated this notion perfectly. Tailored to black-tie proportions, the latter dress-up/dressed-down ensemble was made even more modern when paired with thonged mules. On other runways, these boyish bottoms were equal parts classic and casual — Bottega Veneta’s Daniel Lee presented them in a buttery leather finish with a resort-ready flair to boot, while Saint Laurent’s Anthony Vaccarello and his predecessor (now at Celine) both showed this androgynous must-have in worn denim.
Trench
Fashion’s all-time classic spring coat is undergoing a fancy update. Creative director of Burberry, Riccardo Tisci, spun his unique brand of Italian tailoring into these otherwise traditional outerwear pieces by way of reconstructing its silhouette with delightful silk panels and sparkly embellishments. The other designer to take the humble trench to new heights and proportions was Junya Watanabe: Splicing it open into a dress-apron, upturning its collars for dramatic effect, discarding its sleeves for thick shoulder straps, or, for that matter, turning it into a corset of sorts… You name it, the Japanese avant garde pulled it off.
From left to right: Givenchy, Tod’s (Photo: Voguerunway.com), Valentino and Louis Vuitton.
The Seventies
This beloved era is still rocking the runways and evolves with each season and with extra panache each time. Suits, vests, pointed disco collars were some of the key sightings in pulling the season’s retro hype together seamlessly. Nicolas Ghesquière’s fit-and-flare ensembles at Louis Vuitton were flamboyant and reminiscent of Seventies peacocks, such as Mick Jagger. And then there was Marc Jacobs who showed a very similar wardrobe but with more theatrical and vintage flair — if you will. From velvet frocks to feline sweaters and a mini dress pieced together with frothy floral confections, there was delight in the fact that anything old can always be reinvented and passed off for being shiny and new again.
From left to right: Erdem, Fendi and Valentino.
Denim
Denim is back in the spotlight! Amen! In every style, shape and form (and in more than just jeans alone) there were ladylike blue jean skirts in demure lengths from Michael Kors Collection to Givenchy and Celine, as well as patchwork or embroidered permutations, which lent this trend an upcycled and artisanal freshness. At Chanel, the denim repertoire was imbued with feminine touches from lace trims on blouson jackets to pleated high-waist jeans that enhanced and highlighted the female form. There were also cropped lengths that showed off delicate ankles, in addition to a pair of Bermuda shorts that offered a boyish ensemble a and nautical-inspired cool.
From left to right: Celine, Marc Jacobs (Photo: Voguerunway.com), Saint Laurent and Chanel.
Polka Dots
Spotted on the runways this season: The graphic beauty of polka dots! Refreshed with an air of sophistication, designers were still mindful in maintaining the charm and naivety of this playful motif. Case in point: Wes Gordon at Carolina Herrera who picked oversized dots and used them for day dresses as he did with evening looks. In other noteworthy and off-the-cuff offerings, the dotty trend took on proportions of varying sizes (at Sacai) and Crayola colours at Paco Rabanne.
From left to right: Sacai (Photo: Voguerunway.com), Michael Kors Collection (Photo: Voguerunway.com), Balenciaga and Paco Rabanne (Photo: Voguerunway.com).
Neon
What’s a spring/summer season without colours bright enough to stop traffic? Consider this trend the quick and easiest way to make a bold fashion statement anywhere and anytime. Be it with a sporty orange trench by Bottega Veneta, or goddess-worthy dress washed in bright highlighter pen green at Valentino. Jolts of colour popped at Marni and Erdem’s technicolour collections, too — the standouts included a sarong skirt in bright Schiaparelli pink for the former, as well as a cyan embroidered tiered dress at the latter.
From left to right: Self-Portrait, Marni, Valentino and Erdem.
Tiered Layers
Combining the elegance of column dresses, as well as the drama of volume, tiered layers are offering dresses this season touches of day to night opulence. Pierpaolo Piccioli showed some of the most stellar offerings at Valentino, constructing them from sheer layers for a pilgrim-style skirt to evening wear silks adorned with delicate feathers. Elsewhere, Dries Van Noten and Christian Lacroix, too, added to the season’s flouncy theatrics: Constructing tiered ruffles on bias-cut panels and keeping the entire look fresh with asymmetrical silhouettes.
From left to right: Erdem, Alexander McQueen (Photo: Voguerunway.com), Valentino and Chanel.
Images courtesty of respective brands featured, artwork by Curatedition. All rights reserved.
