After a dark winter, refreshing summer colours herald the season ahead. Designers have moved away from neutral shades and have experimented with bolder, fresher tones, including primary brights, pastels and acidic hues.
Watch out for dazzling shades of tangerine, aquamarine, pink and scarlet which underpin many of the spring/summer collections, according to Brown Thomas.
Watch out for the futurist trend which looks forward to a new silhouette, playing with exaggerated proportions by enhancing shoulders and nipping in the waist. Designers use innovative fabrics and couture tailoring techniques to create this novel silhouette. They often play with light fabrics to create volume while pushing the boundaries and creating dramatic shapes of the future with texture.
Designers, including Prada, Gucci, and Alexander McQueen reinvent and present historical favourites in contemporary shapes for the modern woman this season. Nostalgic Edwardian and Victorian references include ruffles, feathers, corsetry, baroque applique and clustered embellishment. Vintage lacing techniques on light chiffon create soft romantic silhouettes. Provocative applications, off the shoulder details, unusual pairings, and sheer gossamer result in transparent floating dresses which have a distinct feminine touch. Boudoir dressing adds an historical reference and inspires wearing lingerie as outerwear.