TREND REPORT: SS19

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1. SUNSET SHADES

From sunset to sundown, shades of spice and sandstone will sizzle this season. Sies Marjan, a celebrated colourist, showed a more muted palette, but it was the exception to the theme that got editors hot under the collar. 

In a slinky papaya skirt and tangerine top, Kaia Gerber reflected the “innate need for optimism” that Pantone’s Colour of the Year – Living Coral – is meant to evoke. That mood reverberated on many runways with Altuzarra also showing scorched earth tones.

2. THE SWEETEST THING

Power to the pastel suit – proof that anything looks pretty damn perfect in pink. Where women have weakened outdated office politics, so too has the need for masculinising shoulder pads et al. Instead there’s an assortment of ice cream coloured suits ready to be devoured. Brøgger whipped the fashion press into a frenzy at the SS19 shows with a patchwork pastel suit that sings of spring – regardless of April showers. As Sander Lak of Sies Marjan says, “You know, on a bad day, wearing pink is just really nice.”

3. ART ATTACK

Fashion and art of have long been bedfellows with designers regularly collaborating with other creative forces. Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli worked with textile designer Zandra Rhodes on his first solo collection for the house and has since worked with a coterie of emerging and established artists. This season, instead of teaming with other virtuosos, designers got their hands dirty. Clothes were used as canvases for painterly expressions with Loewe sweeping broad brush strokes across oversized shirts.

4. CLEAR + PRESENT

From transparent trainers to see-through shoes, the trend for spring is crystal clear. Aqua’s proclamation that 'Life in plastic, it’s fantastic' turned out to be prophetic as designers have gone mad for anything clear. Perfect for showoffs, Cult Gaia’s acrylic bag is the latest iteration in the brand’s Ark collection. If you’re not up for exposing your essentials, then pop a pouch inside your transparent tote (à la Staud) or imitate the editors by layering your bags – a trend that’s likely to gain traction given the proliferation of teeny tiny bags on the AW19 runways.

5. GREEN DAY

While the industry tackles the prickly subject of sustainability, designers are taking a bolder approach by going green – literally. An extension of last year’s fluoro trend, verdant shades make a powerful statement. Sage, seafoam and absinthe – greens run the spectrum for SS19. Staud and Collina Strada – and countless others – are infusing new-season designs with the shade of the moment, while Rejina Pyo celebrates a newfound confidence in her bold use of colour by incorporating slime into her palette of pastels and desert neutrals.

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