As the sun has finally started to make an appearance in the UK again, it's the perfect time to revise some of the hottest trends from the S/S 2019 fashion month. From tiny Jacquemus bags to Burberry's edgy re-branding, there were countless iconic moments this season - so here are 12 trends you can steal straight from the catwalk to build your summer wardrobe.
1 Bold Patterns
Mulberry Arthur Arbesser Balenciaga Valentino
Designers are stepping beyond the classic 'florals for spring' when it comes to patterns. This season is all about bright colours and unique prints, from accessories and printed shirts to even full eclectic ensembles. The bolder, the better.
Area AWAKE Mode Mugler
For an easy way to integrate bold prints into your wardrobe, try pairing a statement piece with an otherwise plain white or black outfit. Area styles a busy illustrated blouse resembling a traditional kimono with simple white trousers to allow the bright top to pop. Similarly, AWAKE Mode uses a structured black shirt to contrast the colourful pencil skirt.
Poiret Marni Gucci
Matching your accessories with a prominent colour in the pattern draws the different elements of the look together. Gucci highlights the red in the strawberry-printed trousers with a hat in the same shade, and Marni references both the orange and blue in the drawings printed on the dress with colours in the belt and glasses.
Dolce & Gabanna Thom Browne Louis Vuitton
If you're feeling brave, why not experiment with mixing patterns like the designers above. Choosing prints in different sizes, but with complimentary colours, is the key to pulling off this eye-catching look. The Thom Browne ensemble is extreme, but fashion is meant to be fun so why not try something a little crazy?
2 Oversized Layers
Comme des Garçons Proenza Schouler Oscar de la Renta
Much of summer involves wearing as few clothes as possible to stay cool and catch some sun, but many designers featured thin, sleek oversized layers on the runway. This offers a chic, more urban approach to dressing for the hot weather - think powerful CEO, but in 30° heat.
Yohji Yamamoto The Row Jil Sander AWAKE Mode
A monochromatic look embodies the chic personality of this trend, and most examples from designers featured neutral shades, such as the oversized suits shown by Jil Sander and AWAKE Mode. Wearing a coordinating set or finding pieces in the same colour makes the layers almost indistinguishable from each other, and creates a flowing, sleek effect.
Mame Kurogouchi Vetements Gareth Pugh Valentino
If you are creating your own interpretation of the layering trend, a simple way to achieve the sleek, chic form is to choose an oversized outer layer. A robe like Mame Kurogouchi, or large blazer as Vetements styles it, gives the look a more unique silhouette and obscures the body shape to make it less typically feminine. Try this trick for an urban, cool girl vibe while also staying comfortable in loose, flexible clothing.
3 Unique Sleeves
Adeam Burberry Altuzarra
Incorporating unique sleeves is the easiest way to add some edge to a piece, and is one of the easiest trends to find on the high-street. An interesting sleeve has appeared in most decades of recent fashion history, from 70s flare sleeves to 00s one shoulder tops. In the past few years, this trend has been particularly popular in Korean and Japanese fashion - look to Stylenanda's summer section at the moment for inspiration.
Chloe Christopher Kane Oscar de la Renta Versace
Inspired by the deconstructed trend recently popularised by designers such as Margiela and Y/2, and originating in anti-fashion roots from Japanese designers in the 90s, uneven and one-shoulder sleeves are all over the runway and high-street. Chloe and Versace highlight bolder options with entirely asymmetrical arms, but for people looking for more coverage, uneven lengths and non-matching designs of sleeves like Christopher Kane is a more reserved, but still edgy alternative.
Vera Wang Jonathan Simkhai Louis Vuitton Rodarte
Exaggerated sleeves are a dramatic take on sleeve detail, but can provide very different aesthetics depending on the specific style. Jonathan Simkhai's dress mimics historical trends and evokes a girliness in the princess-style puffy cuffs. However, Louis Vuitton presents a more masculine image with unexpectedly padded shoulders, widening the torso in the silhouette and challenging typical proportions. As experimentation with sleeves is so popular in fashion at the moment, there will be a blouse or dress for whatever style suits you.
4 Ugly to Chic
Miu Miu Junya Watanabe Off White
As almost a parody of the resurgence of eccentric 80s fashion, designers are styling hyper-feminine items with embellishments such as ruching, frills or tulle with chic accessories to make them more wearable for everyday fashion. Miu Miu uses a structured bag and belt to break up a satin pink shirt, and Off White counteracts a large tulle skirt with chunky jewellery and black sunglasses.
Jonathan Simkhai Brock Collection John Galliano
An eccentric dress is the main focus of this look, so it's time to restyle your Grandma's old wardrobe or explore your local charity shop. Look for lace, an excess of layers, feathers, ruffles and anything other unique details. Black accessories on a light coloured look, as Brock Collection and John Galliano show, add a more modern edge.
5 Suits
Burberry Alexander McQueen Calvin Luo Gareth Pugh
Suits are a staple of any fashion month, but the stereotypically masculine silhouette should also be a staple in every woman's wardrobe. From pantsuits, to oversized blazers and tailored shirts, there's an element of the classic suit to appeal to anyone's personal sense of style.
Max Mara Ralph Lauren Adeam Tibi
A monochromatic pantsuit is a classic option, but add some interest with a twist. Experiment with unexpected shades such as the red Adeam example, or fresh silhouettes like Tibi's oversized blazer, or Max Mara's asymmetric shirt and cinched waist.
Jonathan Simkhai AWAKE Mode Chanel Gucci
If the full pantsuit feels too formal for your lifestyle, try combining some unconventionally coordinating items, which still resemble a suit by mimicking some of its classic elements. Gucci pairs a suit jacket and tie with casual ripped jeans, which is a look most people could recreate with items already in their wardrobe, and Jonathan Simkhai styles classic smart suit trousers with a feminine, lace bodice.
6 Cutouts
Alexander McQueen Halpern Prada
Cutouts are all over the runway this season, and they add a futuristic edge, creating unique silhouettes. A carefully placed cutout can add a sexiness to an otherwise chic look, and draws attention to unexpected parts of the body.
Poiret Burberry Telfar
Cutouts on the arms have been popular for years now, especially the cold shoulder style, which Telfar uses in a creative way, and links to the trend of interesting sleeves. Poiret takes this idea to the extreme with overlapping layers, each with contrasting necklines, culminating in a pattern of cutouts. N.B. I would sell a limb for the Burberry cow outfit - those circles on the arms and cowprint skirt are too beautiful
3.1 Phillip Lim VFiles Rick Owens
A more extreme version is using cutouts to change the entire silhouette of the look. This is more dramatic and high fashion, but impactful and definitely eye-catching. Although not suited to grab groceries, a look such as this would make for a unique photoshoot.
7 Belts and Corsets
Acne Studios Natasha Zinko Philipp Plein Unravel
Belts and corsets also draw from the 80s for inspiration, and this trend is so broad that anyone can incorporate it into their style. Adding interest in this way is right in the centre of the outfit, so it's easily noticeable and can totally change the vibe, while also cinching the waist and creating a flattering shape.
Fendi Saint Laurent Chloe Alexander Wang
Belts are an easy accessory to be creative with, as there are so many interesting options. Stacked and layered belts, like the look from Alexander Wang, give an edgy vibe, while daintier chain and rope belts like Chloe are more carefree and feminine. Similar to the fanny pack trend, utility belts with mini bags attached are very popular, as Fendi shows.
Alexander McQueen Ann Demeulemeester Alexander McQueen
An interpretation of waist cinching that has featured heavily in KPOP music videos and stage outfits for years, and now on Western runways, are harnesses and leather overlays. Although it may seem daring and more suited to an edgier fit, leather accents also work well with more girly looks, like Ann Demeulemeester.
1.3 Phillip Lim Balmain Adeam Priscavera
Corsets seem like a more high fashion option, but they were brought back into style by the Kardashian-Jenner clan, and are now wearable for casual style. Perhaps they are the most versatile piece for this trend, as a bodice corset can fit a cute, preppy style, while an underbust corset adds a sexier feeling.
8 All White
Adeam Comme des Garçons Boss Balmain
Black has been the staple of fashion forever, but this summer white is taking its crown, and the change makes these all white fits feel refreshing. White is so clean and bright that it instantly makes you look put together and chic, and it also feels more fitting for the light summery weather.
John Galliano Simone Rocha Marni
White can give a girly and light vibe, such as in the looks above, and this delicate feeling is a perfect fit for summer, ideal for holiday retreats or cute picnic dates in the sun. Marni has also accessorised in white to pull all the elements together.
Ralph Lauren Max Mara AWAKE Mode
Because of its simplicity, white can also give off an unbeatably chic aura. However, unlike black which doesn't make much of an impression, wearing a full white fit makes it appear as if you have put much more effort into your appearance than you really have. The summer weather is also the least likely to leave dirt on your sleek white ensemble, so it's the perfect time to convince everybody in your life that you're more put together than they'd thought.
9 Chokers
Vetements Area Vera Wang Elie Saab
Chokers automatically bring the 90s to mind, and although they've been back in style for years now, to keep the trend fresh and exciting designers are becoming more creative with this particular accessory.
BABYGHOST Brock Collection Saint Laurent
Scarves resembling chokers are all over the runway, and are one of the simplest to recreate at home. A side knot like Saint Laurent is more formal and chic, whereas a loose, hanging scarf like BABYGHOST is carefree and creative.
10 Shift Dresses
Arthur Arbesser Maison Margiela Babyghost Valentino
Shift dresses are similarly reminiscent of the 90s and the infamous supermodels who made them iconic, but the 2019 update feels very current and sleek. In a range of patterns and materials, this piece can be layered or shine alone.
Ann Demeulemeester Acne Studios Boss
On cooler days, or if you want to try something new, use a shift dress as a layering tool. Its thin material and versatile shape allows it to act as a base layer as Ann Demeulemeester uses it, but it can also flow over a tee or turtleneck to make a girly silhouette.
11 Plastic/PVC
Mugler Priscavera Sies Marjan Moncler 4
Plastic in clothing started almost as a joke on the internet, with Topshop's clear plastic jeans, but a couple of years later, PVC is being used by many brands as fresh new texture. From plain PVC panels to patterned and embellished plastic, this trend has spread quickly from designers to countless fast fashion brands.
Fendi Gareth Pugh Burberry
Beyond safe option of a coat, try plastic as one of the main parts of your outfit, such as a skirt like Fendi exhibits, or a full dress like this one from Gareth Pugh. Choosing a PVC item which can act as an overlay to a more opaque layer beneath is a surprisingly easy way to incorporate this into things you already have in your wardrobe.
12 Lace and Ruffles
Molly Goddard Rodarte Gucci Vera Wang
Ruffles have a long history in fashion, from English traditional clothing worn by monarchs, to the eccentricity of the 80s, and now they're back with a vengeance. This is one part of the ugly to chic trend that has taken on a life of its own.
Natasha Zinko John Galliano Off White Jonathan Simkhai
One of the easiest ways to find this trend on the high-street is a piece with a ruffle accent. It could be a frill on a sleeve, or at the bottom of a dress like John Galliano's look, and items like this are so subtle you probably already have some in your wardrobe.
Giambattista Valli Alexander McQueen Simone Rocha Moncler 4
If you're a fan of ruffles, and the girly charm they bring to a fit, try to find a full head to toe ruffle look. There is more than one kind of ruffle detail, so whether you want the cascading ruffled layers of Alexander McQueen's dress, or the abstract, finely ruffled shapes on Moncler 4's mesh, this trend has an option for you.
Look out for part 2 with high-street dupes of these trends and affordable inspiration - coming soon.
Comments