Trends spring/summer 2018

What will spring bring? Showy, colorful, intellectual-chic fashion trends. The season is all about extremes, from minimalist to maximalist, from monochrome to a riot of patterns and colors… Stripes, checks, tartan, with huge accessories and kitsch fashion details.

Waterproof

Plastic is the star, sent down the runway by the great Karl over Chanel’s signature winter tweed suits and again for the spring collection, followed by Anya Hindmarch, Christopher Kane with a more romantic look, Valentino with a shorter, nearly leather jacket-style model, and Balmain with a more daring matching dress and overcoat.

Animal prints

Leopardskin, tiger or zebra-striped, and also reptile skin…total look or just a detail, worn over a black sheath dress or with a gym shirt, whether in the morning or evening, they flatter both brunettes and blonds. This spring there is no rule but one: wear animal prints without fear of looking tacky or over the top. This season’s icon is Donatella Versace with her animalier collection as a tribute to Gianni.

Polka dots

It’s the polka-dot season. Actually, polka dots have never been out of style lately. Probably because they are so sweetly childish, because they take us back to the fifties, because they flatter nearly every body type, even buttery pin-up girls. This season, my favorites are the bon ton look by Dior and Dolce&Gabbana, the macro polka dots by Watanabe or the micro ones by Balenciaga.

Flowers

English, romantic and Victorian-style gardens are in bloom everywhere, over dresses, shoes and jewelry. From Ungaro to Dior, from Gucci to Alexis Mabille, women look like flowers that never fade, dressed in all-over floral prints, colorful, huge and often 3D, such as by Dolce & Gabbana and Moschino, who cover their creations with roses in full bloom.

Fringes

I love watching fringes swinging around the body, it’s so sexy and feminine. Next summer, we will be all swaying like soft waves with very long multicolored and multi-material fringes by Balmain, Calvin Klein, Céline, Erdem, Loewe, Nina Ricci and Paco Rabanne. Smaller-sized but swinging all the same are those by Fausto Puglisi.

Checks

After a checked winter, here comes a chequered spring: fresh, linen and cotton fabrics, in pastel or dark colors, but always lit up with white. For a summer in the city but bright all the same. By Fendi, Emporio Armani, Hérmes.

Stripes

Multicolored, in various sizes, vertical, horizontal and oblique. In summertime, stripes evoke a peaceful seaside atmosphere. Feel free to mix and match as you please. With sporty-chic vintage T-shirts, like Prada. With ladylike sweaters like Etro. Only stripes, as usual, by Missoni.

Jeans

The eighties are having a revival: different washing effects, very light or deep blue-colored, with splashes of color and visible shoulder pads, on oversized outfits or sexy sheath dresses. Jeans from morning to night, for cocktail dresses and suits. By Fendi, Alexander McQueen, Marras and Dior for a more sophisticated look. By Stella McCartney and Carolina Herrera for light-colored and everyday jeans.

Feathers

Like birds-of-paradise: we were bewitched by Yves Saint Laurent’s stunning models, who swayed down the runway in black mini-dresses full of feathers and we are trying to recreate their charm with the colored feathers by Rodarte, Nina Ricci, Balmain and, of course, the  supreme Yves.

Glitter

We are going to look as shiny and attractive as a box of chocolates in our sequin dresses, but also jackets, pants and jumpsuits made with sparkling materials such as crystals, Lurex or new glitter fabrics. All-over fabrics are the most popular choice: according to Alberta Ferretti and Margiela, we are going to shine from head to toe. Louis Vuitton pairs Lurez with trimmings.

Long dresses

Long dresses are not synonymous with elegant evening gowns anymore: we’re going to see women in daylight wearing skirts to the ground- even soft overlapping panels- increasingly easy-going, fluid and versatile. Colored and floral dresses by Marni, Balenciaga, Philosophy by Lorenzo Serafini are paired with thin and invisible sandals or, on the contrary, with bold accessories.

See-through

Long dresses are back and with the body covered up down to our ankles we can still flash a bit of flesh by wearing sheer fabrics: tulle, chiffon, organza and also glossy and reflective hi-tech materials. Underwear on show, of course, by Blumarine and Dolce&Gabbana, but also by Fendi, Maison Margiela and Paco Rabanne. Miu Miu puts see-through pieces over more opaque layers. Very practical and chic!