Trends


Spring/Summer 2014


After hectic show schedules, designers can take some time off to unwind and have a well deserved rest. Months of hard work flash before their eyes in just a few minutes for the amusement or despair of an image overloaded audience. Videos, photos and words are uploaded onto the internet to cover countless shows featuring a wide range of brands and designers. 




Autumn/Winter 2013-14



As Diane von Furstenberg said, there's nothing like wearing a dress to 'feel like a woman'. Despite fashion's diversity it can be challenging to find an innovative dress which sets itself apart from previously seen ideas. Fortunately more and more designers are creating unique patterns and graphic effects to appeal to the increasingly fashion savvy and sophisticated modern woman.







Watching the latest catwalk shows for Autumn/Winter 2013-14 it's impossible not to notice the splash of a vibrant red across different collections. Raf Simons has researched Christian Dior's archives to revive the impressive red coat which was drawn by René Gruau in one of his famous fashion illustrations.







Fur is another prevalent trend just emerging from the latest catwalk shows for AW 2013/14. Designers have covered up their women in the most exciting pieces of fur, either as a stole or long coat. It's up to one's consciousness how to follow this trend as faux fur is always an option on the table.






Second Skin Stronghold
When it comes to fashion, it's not just about the way it looks but also the way it feels. The latest catwalk shows for Autumn/Winter 2013-14 are now over so it's possible to acknowledge some key trends and one of them is definitely tactile. There's nothing quite like the texture of certain fabrics to let our imagination run wild. 




Spring/Summer 2013




Wear Trousers in the Spring
Trends are cyclical and when the weather warms up you can always expect white and bright colours. Spring is a time of playfulness and romance, when nature itself dresses up to inspire us with its magnificent beauty. We start planning our summer holiday so you can always expect safari and marine styles. 







There is something magical about the 1920's, the so-called Jazz Age, a period of playfulness and carefree enthusiasm just as jazz itself, characterised by an ongoing improvised melody. A fringe dress is highly reminiscent of this period, bringing to mind energetic dance moves and smiling faces.






The black and white combination has been gaining momentum for a while and next season evolves into new territories, much more playful and fun. This trend takes inspiration from Op-Art artists such as Victor Vasarely, whose kinematic images create dynamic moving impressions depending on the viewpoint.





Exotic places have always inspired fashion designers and spring/summer 2013 collections are no exception. The Japanese influence is a big trend for next season with different interpretations of this magic land, home to the ultimate warrior - the Samurai - and the fascinating world of the Gueisha.




Autumn/Winter 2012-13




Noir is the latest fashion obsession, mostly associated with stylish Hollywood dramas from the early 1940s to late 1950s, it has captured different designers' imagination with its striking visual narratives.





Autumn/Winter collections are starting to emerge and this is the time to invest in your wardrobe for the coming season. Dark red is gaining momentum, Keira Knightley looks ravishing as Anna Karenina, a film based on Leo Tolstoy's novel, which will be released in the UK next month.









Velvet Opulence Fashion Trend
Angelina Jolie caused a stir on the Oscar's red carpet by wearing a black velvet gown by Atelier Versace with a thigh-high split at the front, but this is just the tip of the iceberg.







Transparent Fashion Details
Going through the catwalk shows for next season, I couldn't help but notice the way skin is subtly revealed by sheer fabric details, adding geometry to the whole look and playing up with our perception.







Artistic Dress
Art is inspiring a few designers... Some of them have created unique dresses for next season, featuring patterns that seem to have come out of a painting.







Peplum Fashion Trend
Ruffles have already been around for spring/summer 2010 but now they come back, not only for this season but also for autumn/winter 2012/13, particularly focusing on the revamp of the pencil skirt - the so-called peplum, flaring elegantly at the waist.






Cape Fashion
In a time of overwhelming exposure, both for those who seek it and explore it to their best advantage and for those who would rather control their privacy, the cape comes back to fashion.








The Leather Dress
Paris Fashion Week is still underway but I cannot resist to write about the leather dress emerging from the catwalk shows around the most prominent fashion cities in the world.






Spring/ Summer 2012




Period Style: Art Deco
Fashion trends for Spring/Summer wouldn't be complete without Art Deco, the style that took the world by storm in the interwar years. Gucci was the most obvious catwalk show celebrating this period.







A Match Made in Heaven
Inspired by the glamour of the latest red carpet event in Los Angeles, the  Golden Globes, I couldn't help but notice how the catwalk shows have also translated the black and white combination chosen by Kate Winslet and Claire Danes.






Swinging Pleats
London woke up gloriously to a beautiful sunny morning! A great day to write about another trend for this Spring/Summer: pleats.








3D Flower Power
"Florals for spring? Groundbreaking!" says Meryl Street as a magazine editor in The Devil Wears Prada, a film based on a book with the same title by Lauren Weisberger, who began her professional life at the Condé Nast publishing empire.






Underwater World
Spring/Summer collections always draw inspiration from the sea, there is always a more or less reinvented nautical style to wear on a yacht or in coastal areas, but this season goes deeper, it explores the underwater world.