SPRING '05 TREND REPORT
Nothing is more right than white this spring, whether it be sexy cotton suits from Ralph Lauren and Burberry, fluid, romantic dresses by Dries Van Noten, or those cool cotton coats from Jil Sander. White hot item: the oversized tailored cotton big shirt. For a splash of color, think bright shades of sunny yellow, orange, berry and especially coral--the freshest of all the new vivid tones this season.
Did someone say modern retro was a malapropism? Not in the fashion vocabulary at Dior given their Thirties-inspired skirt suits updated with fit and finesse. For elegant evenings Donna Karan and Ralph Lauren rummaged through the same decade, turning out flowing, pleated silk columns that goddesses of any era would love.
Designers got their groove on this season with Bohemian looks à la updated peasant blouses from Michael Kors, ethnic-looking dresses by Roberto Cavalli and Fendi and Marrakech-inspired prints, patterns and colors from Alberta Feretti. Another fashion flashback includes macramé, very much in the details of collections by Chanel and Chloe. While we’re channeling the past, look for ruffle-front tuxedo blouses from Anne Fontaine and Jil Sander as must-haves for day into evening.
Fashion unearthed a creative bounty out of Africa this season, especially Miuccia Prada, who incorporated tribal beading as decoration, while animal prints and primitive patterns livened up the lines of Gucci and Etro. The adventurous should also be on the hunt for embellished versions of the safari jacket like those from Yves Saint Laurent, certainly no stranger to the genre. It’s a jungle out there for devotees of Dolce & Gabbana, who gave python the full monty for spring, adorning the exotic skin on jackets, dresses, oversized bags and jeans. A final note: khaki makes a comeback, for both day and evening.
Designers have also been playing Cowboys and Indians, reviving everything from fringed leather jackets a la D Squared, to Marc Jacobs’ Seminole-inspired print flounced skirts. Notice the focus on big, bigger, biggest for bangles, beads, and offbeat necklaces, shown mixed with abandon. Call it chunky chic. Think big in terms of bags as well, as in Fendi’s brown tooled leather satchel with braided handles.
It’s color redux in fine jewelry collections, especially pink and green sapphire, turquoise, brown topaz, and the all important coral, all often used with yellow gold. Genuine pearls return in a range of tones, updated in designs such as those by David Yurman. Linear tiered earrings like the bejeweled columns from Cartier and diamond encrusted dress watches are hot new accessories for evening.
For men, the two-button suit comes back strong, especially in pin stripes with narrow, plain front trousers like those from Jil Sander and Dolce & Gabbana. And every man will need a solid white suit--Burberry is one of our favorites, worn casually with black loafers or driving shoes. Pair it with a bright colored solid linen shirt or floral print.
