As New York Fashion Week draws to a close, we've analysed every catwalk so far and narrowed down the stateside spring/summer 2018 offering to the following...
Polished Asymmetry
Hemlines first started zig-zagging in spring/summer 2017 and if the New York shows are anything to go by, the reign of the hanky skirt isn’t over yet. The Nineties staple was seen at 3.1 Phillip Lim, where it was rendered less Ibiza hippie and more Uptown cool in white embroidered cotton, graphic stripes and navy pinstripes on mid-length skirts paired with matching tops and floaty spaghetti strap dresses. At Diane von Furstenberg, Jonathan Saunders took a decidedly more glamorous route, supercharging her ‘70s-inspired show with floor-grazing hanky skirts in vibrant prints. As if uneven skirts weren’t enough, designers were also going one-sleeved, with asymmetric looks at Carolina Herrera, Alexander Wang and Christian Siriano.
Insta-Ready Bags
The era of the It bag might never be over (Gucci is the most popular brand amongst millennials, after all), but the cult of the unique, Instagrammable bag is definitely riding high, too. Case in point were the bags at Shayne Oliver’s debut for Helmut Lang, which were weird and wonderful and sure to be a hit with the street style set; there was the rolled-up newspaper tote, the bra clutch (each cup was a zipped compartment) and the Perspex briefcase. Elsewhere, Creatures of the Wind had clutches that were attached to the wrist with intricate lacing details, while Philipp Plein’s diamante-embellished teddy bear rucksacks had an S&M twist in black leather.
Purple Reign
We’re calling it now: purple is the ‘It’ colour of spring/summer 2018. Standout dresses at Rosie Assoulin, Tibi, Zadig and Voltaire and Victoria Beckham were in lilac, lavender, violet and periwinkle respectively, while Anna Sui’s hippie-infused collection featured it in every possible shade, from indigo to berry. The prominence of the so-called royal hue seems particularly timely, following the announcement of Kate Middleton’s third pregnancy and renewed royal baby fever last week.
Going-Out Sportswear
When Rihanna calls a trend, people listen. Earlier this week, the Fenty designer sent models down her runway wearing the latest Marmite shoe, the heeled flip-flop. (Two questions sprang to mind: Why would you need to look taller in flip-flops? Why would you want your heels to be made from rubber? But who are we to judge Ri-Ri?) And she wasn’t alone in this sportswear-turned-clubwear aesthetic. Alexander Wang, the undisputed father of the look, sent Kaia Gerber et al onto the catwalk in leather leggings, diamante sports bras and zip-up jackets with extra sleeves tied at the waist, and at Monse, there were cheerleader skirts, heeled basketball boots and sports jerseys as going-out tops.
Belt-It-Up
Belts were a major styling tool at this New York Fashion Week, with the waist being tantamount to a pulled-together look. At 3.1 Phillip Lim, they were overlong and used to nip-in blazers and skirts, at Diane Von Furstenberg, they were tribal accessories accentuating the Seventies aesthetic, while at Tibi there were Perspex and came in both skinny and corset styles.
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