Women Spring Summer 2015 Trends

Women Spring Summer 2015 Trends

Written by Elnaz Soltanmohammadi

Search and forecast by Fabio Jesus D’Elia

 

TOTAL LOOK: Brocade

Delicate

Alberta Ferretti’s feminine collection featured semi-sheer chiffon dresses in warm neutral tones that were laced with delicate brocade patterns. Still in keeping with the feminine touch, Valentino’s dresses combined rich brocade with colourful floral patterns.

  

Alberta Ferretti

 

Valentino

Ornate

Prada’s 19^th century inspired brocade illustrated, as artistic director Miuccia Prada described it, “confrontation with antiquity”. Fitted knee-length coats in dark brocade print were made from casual dark denim, with contrasting lines of topstitching left raw for an unfinished look. Meanwhile, dresses were embroidered with lighter vintage brocade florals.

Prada

In celebration of the 125^th anniversary of the House of Lanvin, the work of the architect Armand-Albert for the Lanvin headquarters was translated into luxurious, shimmering gold brocade that glistened upon coats, cropped tops and shorts alike.

Lanvin

Modern

Phillip Lim opted for a more modern look with his unique boudoir-inspired collection. Plain outfits were teamed with one statement piece in heavy damask print, such as a boxy tee, a sleeveless tank top and structured sport shorts.

Phillip Lim

 

TOTAL LOOK: Broderie Anglaise

Delicate lace patterns are this season’s decoration of choice.

Folksy

Clare Waight Keller displayed some folkloric charm with her pretty white Broderie Anglaise pieces: a long-sleeved shirtdress, a pretty halter neck dress edged in crochet and a lightweight poncho; all fashioned from intricately embroidered cheesecloth.

Chloé

Laser cuts

Similarly, Valentino’s collection featured structured white mini dresses in Broderie Anglaise, this time more structured and modern with its laser cut skins, as well as casual sheer jumpsuits. Valentino even mixed things up a little and added a splash of colour to the trend with a colour-block pastel version.

Valentino

Bridal

Elie Saab showcased an exquisitely delicate, romantic white lace dress that looked fit for a bride.

Elie Saab

Dark romance

Meanwhile, Saab, along with Alber Elbaz, also proved that this trend isn’t just for those summer nights. Their black, sheer lace ensembles perfectly illustrated dark romance.

Elie Saab

Lanvin

 

TOTAL LOOK: Voile/fluid

This dreamy, angelic look will sweep you right through spring and summer.

Hippie chic

70s boho was the theme at Chloe and Emilio Pucci. Chloe utilised breezy textiles such as cheesecloth and light denim- perfect for those warm summer evenings. The dresses were floaty halter neck numbers in soft mint green and vibrant canary yellow, or sheer and billowy in the palest of blue.

Chloé

In a similarly laid-back fashion, Peter Dundas’ dresses floated across the catwalk. These were flowing chiffon kaftan maxi dresses in tie-dye, paisley, or signature Pucci prints, accentuated with statement necklaces and teamed with suede boots for that real 70s look.

Emilio Pucci

Romantic Fairytale

Valentino and Alberta Ferretti enchanted us with their ethereal collections. One dress looked almost edible, with its tiers of chiffon cascading in a rainbow of sugary pastels. He added glittery waistbands to some dresses like a sprinkling of fairy dust. Other dresses were darker, yet intricately detailed with tiny red florals.

Valentino

Similarly, Ferretti showcased his angelic pastel dresses that were adorned with fairytale elements of mermaid, flower embroidery and tassels.

Alberta Ferretti

Revealing

Some of Ferretti’s dresses were stripped down to bare nudes in very sheer and revealing fabrics, as was the case at Ann Demeulemeester with her subtle white layers.

Alberta Ferretti

‘The Birds and the Bees’

Christopher Bailey evoked English summertime with his collection for Burberry Prorsum entitled “The Birds and the Bees”; featuring layered toile dresses in bright tones such as ‘Poppy red’. Flat sandals and Burberry butterfly shoes completed the woodland theme.

Burberry Prorsum

 

TOTAL LOOK: Gothic

Designers invited us to step into the twilight for some gothic glamour.

Dramatic

Alexander Wang’s collection for Balenciaga included black mesh dresses with net panelling and lattice patterns, as well as dramatic black floor-length duster coat and dark shade ensembles, echoing scenes from The Matrix. At times the sharp, sleek cuts were complimented with hints of twinkling glitter.

Balenciaga

Mismatched

At Ann Demeulemeester, the focus was on layering and textiles, with combinations of mismatched prints and loosely draped black chiffon.

Ann Demeulemeester

All in the detail

Once again, Riccardo Tisci nailed the gothic trend for Givenchy. His array of monochrome looks included ruffled dresses with lace overlays, jackets with loops of leather stitching and thigh-high leather boots with open toe or crosstie fronts. And of course, no true gothic outfit would be complete without leather skinnies and some punk rock studs.

Givenchy

Black magic

Tom Ford dazzled with dramatic high-waisted pantsuits spanning wide with batwing sleeves and flared bottoms. Underneath were spellbinding strips of glitter that barely skimmed across the top half.

Tom Ford

Tom Ford

 

MUST-HAVE ITEM: Mini dress

This season’s dresses: mini in length, maximum in impact!

Bodycon

The classic bodycon mini took a sporty turn with Alexander Wang’s figure-hugging neon dresses. Chalayan went for a more elegant approach with longer length bodycon mini dresses hitting just about the knee, instead choosing to flaunt the collarbone with the famous Bardot neckline.

Alexander Wang

Chalayan

Patterned

Some of Chalayan’s more casually fitting dresses featured a quirky pattern of abstract leaf shapes in contrasting green and red set against a white background.

Chalayan

Cut out

Also in McQueen’s collection were cut out minis dresses in tarnished gold and glistening black glitter.

Aside from his Crayola creations, Wang stuck to simple black and white for his cut out mini chiffon dresses with sheer pleated skirts and accentuating collars in red/grey and green.

Chanel

Nautical

Lagerfeld’s collection also included cardigan dresses that, in true ‘Chanel-esque’ style, were covered in neutral stripes of beige, white and navy. Matching boot covers completed the overall look.

Chanel

Summer breeze

The laid-back summery dresses at Chloe gave off a 70s bohemian vibe. The collection featured delicately laced spaghetti strap minis in white and mustard yellow. Another key item was the mini shirtdress, such as the long-sleeved white dress in Broderie Anglaise and the sleeveless denim number.

Chloé

Miss Jean Paul Gaultier 2015

Jean-Paul Gaultier pulled out all the stops for his last ever runway show by showcasing his very own “Election de Miss Jean Paul Gaultier 2015”. Mini dress highlights included the visual interpretations of Miss Genevieve de Fontenay, Miss Tour de France and Miss Trench Coat.

Jean Paul Gaultier

A-line

Roland Mouret presented us with his A-line mini dresses: colour block pastels or cobalt blue, cinched in with contrasting waist belts that accentuated the femininely draped fabrics.

Roland Mouret

Glam

Thierry Mugler demonstrated a sexy take on the classic Little Black or White dress. The dresses were simple and sleek, yet wowed with revealing keyhole cutouts accentuated with silver embellishments. One would only need to add apply a touch of red lipstick for that ultimate Bond Girl look.

 

 Thierry Mugler

Thierry Mugler

 

MUST-HAVE ITEM: Blazer

Blazers are a must-have finishing piece to almost any outfit, and the possibilities are endless this season.

Fitted

Altuzarra executed the sexy secretary silhouette perfectly with his form-fitting blazers complete with daringly plunging necklines. Meanwhile, the pretty red and pink gingham prints softened the look.

Altuzarra

Likewise, at Balmain the trend was sleek, sexy and revealing. Blazers were twisted in the middle to reveal some of the mid-riff. The look was finished off with slicked back hair.

 

Balmain

Oversized

Chalayan created an androgynous look with his baggy, oversized blazers. Shoulders were also accentuated with large shoulder pads that yelled 80s throwback.

Chalayan

Nautical

Armani’s take on the trend can only be described as tailored sailor chic: an array of white and blue stripes across perfectly sculpted jackets.

Emporio Armani

Pinstriped

Pinstriped suits with deconstructed tailoring were the essence of Gaultier’s blazer trend. The monochrome look was complimented with matching hats and gloves.

Jean Paul Gaultier

Clean white

Clearly a popular trend this season, white was the colour of choice for the blazers at Lanvin, Max Mara and Mugler.

Alexander Wang’s version had narrow, angular shoulders, and was cinched in at the waist with an aertex belt that gave it a sporty feel.

Alexander Wang

 

PATTERN/PRINT: All-over

Models were working those patterns from head-to-toe

Scarf print

Elie Saab made a bold statement with scarf-print maxi dresses that shone in jewel tones of warm amber and aqua blue, bordered with graphic black and white lines. Some were daring with plunging necklines and thigh-high splits, while others swept across the catwalk.

Elie Saab

Abstract floral

Stylized orchid applique seemed to be the recurring theme in Fendi’s collection, which drew inspiration from the famous Palazzo della Civilta de Chiricos.

Fendi

‘That ‘70s Show’

Max Mara’s models embodied the 70s era as they were worked head-to toe floral prints. There were monochrome micro floral print willowy blouses tucked into midi skirts, as well as all in ones in in large watercolour florals. As if that wasn’t enough, the looks were finished off with matching boots and cloche hats.

Max Mara

Meanwhile, Peter Dundas dazzled us with his eye-popping psychedelic print dresses for Emilio Pucci in a multitude of pastel shades.

Emilio Pucci

Botanical/Oriental

Dries Van Noten’s prints were bohemian crossed with Eastern vibes: relaxed trousers and flowing dresses in watercolour florals, mixed with belted kimono-style shirts.

Dries Van Noten

 

COLOUR: Pastels

Designers utilised pastels galore, from barely-there nudes to candyfloss hues.

 Mellow

Soft, sweeping duster coats were seen in beige at Balenciaga and buttermilk yellow at Bottega Veneta.

Balenciaga

Bottega Veneta

Pretty in pink

A highlight at Dior was a long jacket dress in the most unusual, beautiful shade of pink. Again, there was a pale blue tweed coat variation too.

Christian Dior

Pick ‘n’ mix

Fendi’s fun, whimsical dresses were a delightful mix of bubble-gum blue and candyfloss pink and a playful blend of textures.

Fendi

Over at Mouret, the fit and flare dresses were colour-block combinations of soft yellow, blue, and lilac, cinched in with a dark terracotta belt.

Roland Mouret

Minimalistic

Meanwhile, Mugler’ ultra-modern collection was restricted to a palette of sherbet peach and baby blue.

Mugler

Phillip Lim’s slightly more casual clothing was also dominating in delicate peach, apricot and baby blue tones.

Phillip Lim

 

COLOUR: Bright Pop

All things bright, bold and beautiful!

Zesty

The one-shoulder dresses at Acne Studio were cascading waterfalls of bright fuschia, acid green and yellow.

Acne Studio

Flower Power

Karl Lagerfeld’s models were little rays of sunshine, adorning the catwalk with watercolour florals and retro prints. With the help of matching wellington boots, they were colourful ensembles of red, green, fuchsia, brown and orange from head-to-toe.

Chanel

Neon

The long length satin linen gilets at Dior shone bright in hot pink and tantalising tangerine.

Christian Dior

Artistic

Dsquared2 playful dresses were true works of art: Sonia Delaunay-style colour blocking in bold primary colours, leather polo shirts in blocks of blue, white and hot pink; and voluminous shorts in signature Dsquared2 print.

Creative duo Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos translated their late 60s Jimi Hendrix and psych rock inspiration into vibrant mini dresses, carefully crafted from organza and sprinkled with tiny crystals.

Peter Pilotto

 

COLOUR: Unmissable white

Spring-clean your style with and opt for an all-white ensemble.

Pure

Christian Dior let the accessories stand out against simple white dresses, and plain white trousers matched with basic polo necks.

Christian Dior

Meanwhile, Armani gave us white suits with loose-fitting jackets and tapered trousers just skimming the ankles.

Giorgio Armani

All in the detail

The trend was busier over at Gucci, where textures and accessories were key. Highlights include the red and green Gucci ribbon neckerchiefs and the white crisscross lace top.

Gucci

Ivory white

At her debut catwalk show, Julie de Libran’s for Sonia Rykiel off-white ensembles featured plain vests and cropped trousers teamed with either fringe-tastic skirts or two-tone tasselled knitwear which paid homage to Sonia Rykiel’s signature stripes.

Sonia Rykiel

 

ACCESSORIES

BAGS

From funky floral totes to a videocassette clutch, designers have covered just about every occasion!

Baguette

Firstly, the baguette bag was seen in the form of the classic ‘Boy Chanel’ flap bag, but this time in eye-catching multi-coloured graffiti and fresh floral prints, as well as a denim patchwork design. Also featured was the more toned-down ‘Iconic’ bag in black or white with heavy chain handles.

Chanel

Meanwhile, the brand new ‘Faye’ bags at Chloe, in an array of tanned suede and leather, echoed the laid-back, bohemian vibe of the overall collection.

Chloé

The ‘Diorama’ reigns again over at Dior: large or small, in embroidered black or decorated white calfskin.

Christian Dior

The Gucci collection contained large messenger type shoulder bags with thick straps, and smaller satchel style bags bearing the iconic Gucci stripe in the form of straps.

Gucci

Rigid cases

Chanel’s take on the trend was undoubtedly one of the most memorable: a grey quilted clutch bag resembling a videocassette player – with in-built speakers of course!

Chanel

Also featured were the sturdy shoulder bags at Dior in glossy noisette or aubergine crocodile print, complete with a silver crest-shaped clasp.

Christian Dior

Meanwhile, Dolce & Gabbana’s geometric box bag was lavishly decorated with gold.

 

 

Dolce & Gabbana

Totes

Also featuring this season is the tote bag. Valentino’s totes were the definition of tropical flower power, with their large graphic florals and bold shades of blue and green with subtle purple, orange and pink accents.

Valentino

Meanwhile, jewelled pastel totes at Fendi were smaller and boxier, with the addition of cheeky mini monster charms.

Fendi

The tote bags at Bottega Veneta were understated yet practical, including a black leather doctor bag and a dark navy suede duffel bag with brown leather top handles.

Bottega Veneta

Similarly, the leather totes at Prada were restricted to a colour palette of black, brown and tan, but varied in shape and size.

Prada

In addition, the classic Louis Vuitton ‘Dora’ bag is back in season, complete with the signature ‘L.V.’ monogram print and a shoulder strap.

Louis Vuitton

SHOES

This season there are multiple trends kicking about in the shoe department….

Ankle boots

Those ankle boots were made for walking, and not just in the winter months!

This season it’s all about the textures, à la Raf Simons’ sock-like booties for Dior that give the illusion of socks pulled up over heels.

Christian Dior

Meanwhile, suede was the material of choice at Gucci.

Gucci

Gladiator sandals

Gladiators triumph once again! Several designers emerged this season with the aim to bring out that Greek goddess in us! Suede gladiator wedges or heels were a popular theme, featuring the knee-high lace-ups in soft beige and mint green at Chloe.

Chloé

Contrasting with these boho chic styles were the bold, caged-effect Glamiators’ at Dsquared2.

Dsquared2

Valentino’s were particularly minimalistic with their thin, dainty straps.

Valentino

Open heels

When it comes to open heels, it seems that leather is the way to go: With raunchy red outlines and risky heels, Sarah Burton’s cut out gladiator boots for Alexander McQueen were fierce!

Alexander McQueen

Over at Gucci the leather was snakeskin-printed while the heels were round and chunky.

Gucci

Also featuring reptile print were the Lanvin heels, otherwise sleek, black and pointed.

Lanvin

Prints were absent at Fendi, where the simple block coloured sandals were nevertheless intricately detailed with their multiple strap design and a sprinkling of jewels here and there.

Fendi

Meanwhile, the shoe of choice at Alberta Ferretti was a heeled gladiator sandal in fringed suede.

 

Alberta Ferretti

Wedges

Miu Miu’s wedges were fun and floral with wide straps on the front balancing the chunky, mono-block sole.

Miu Miu

Meanwhile at Ferragamo, the tones were muted while the materials were exotic. Styles varied from the high ‘Mae’ ankle-strap wedges made from leather and lizard skin to mule sandals crafted from combinations of calfskin, draw mat, karung and linen.

Salvatore Ferragamo

Pop colour

This season’s Moschino show featured every colour of the rainbow. Kitten heels were a favourite, either pointed or round open-toe, in solid shades of orange, cobalt blue, sunshine yellow and bubble gum pink. Meanwhile the multi-coloured versions came in fluffy blue or see-through red plastic with contrasting pink heels

Moschino