Raf Simons spoke about the American dream again for spring, which he depicted his own particular way; while Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia’s was a cheerful, spirited rally with tons of stripes and stars in between from Self-Portrait, Phillip Lim and Maria Cornejo.
Pictured: Calvin Klein, Monse, Zero + Maria Cornejo, 3.1 Phillip Lim
There was definitely a huge Nineties urban vibe happening. It was expressed in different ways, but the common item was the Windbreaker/parka/anorak jacket. In whatever iteration, it will be everywhere next season — from the super casual versions at Public School, to the dressier takes at Oscar de la Renta.
Pictured: Oscar de la Renta, Calvin Klein, Claudia Li, and Dion Lee
Fancy pants, anyone? Perhaps fancy jeans? The all-American staple got the formal treatment at the spring shows as designers paired them with evening attire and in some cases, “bewejeled” them enough to take you into a gala.
Pictured: Solace London, Adam Selman, Brandon Maxwell, and Alexander Wang
No neutral ground here, the statement was clear when it comes to the preferred spring palette: bright, saturated hues either monochromatically or colorblocked à la Tom Ford.
Pictured: Tom Ford, Carolina Herrera, Marc Jacobs, and Sachin & Babi
Sheer, skin revealing fabrics were shown in diaphanous dresses leaving little to the imagination yet done in sophisticated cuts.
Pictured: Ulla Johnson, Mansur Gavriel, Jason Wu, and Jeremy Scott
Known for being the city with an eccentric palette, London didn’t disappoint when it came to bold pattern play. From the overcharged florals set against polka dots at Mary Katrantzou to subtler, more casual variations like the patterned knits at Burberry, there was a range of day to evening fare for any occasion.
Pictured: Mary Katrantzou, Emporio Armani, Burberry, Temperley London
Where New York opted for vibrant, saturated hues, London took a softer approach to color for spring with pastels and dusty tones. The romantic shades popped up at nearly every show, notably J.W. Anderson, Peter Pilotto and Emilia Wickstead.
Pictured: Marta Jakubowski, J.W. Anderson, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, Joseph
Satin was the dominant fabric during the London shows for two great reasons. First, its sheen instantly elevates any silhouette; second, its inherent fluidity and lightness makes it comfortable to wear all night long. Designers from Christopher Kane to Roksanda opted for liquid evening gowns and dresses.
Pictured: Simone Rocha, Peter Pilotto, Roksanda, Christopher Kane
The Italian runways were brimming with a quintessential celebratory element — made livelier with party pieces that can be shaken from dusk till dawn.
Pictured: Vionnet, Bottega Veneta, Marco De Vincenzo, Salvatore Ferragamo
Designers have long mined far-flung cultures for inspiration, this season landing in Japan with mandarin collars and kimono styles that featured prominently on the runways.
Pictured: Blumarine, Albino Teodoro, Jil Sander, Gucci
It’s festive, it’s glamorous and it’s sheer! Tulle was the fabric of preference at the Milan shows.
Pictured: Vivetta, Fausto Puglisi, Brognano, Antonio Marras
Multipockets and multizippers seemed fitting for the multi-hyphenate women of today.
Pictured: Tod’s, Prada, Sportmax, Gabriele Colangelo