Spring/Summer trends 2018

Fashion Week may seem removed from what we do, but it's surprisingly important to us.

Collections are packed up; popcorn supply has diminished and London’s fashion elite have finally kicked off their weather inappropriate footwear - LFW has closed its doors until February. Yet, the aftermath commences - fingers eagerly tapping out reviews, front row snaps posted to Instagram and after party gossip is rife. From Ashish’s disco ball heaven to Marquez Almeida’s wonderfully presented looks under a bridge in Shoreditch, we’re taking a look at the trends set to take Spring/Summer 2018 by storm…

1. Sequins. So Many Sequins.

If we’re kicking off with sequins, then we’re kicking off with Ashish. Taking place at 180 The Strand, disco balls acted as the show’s main mise-en-scene. When the lights came up the mirrored reflections danced around the show space to an accompanying harp. Ashish’s usual rainbows were astray as black was at the forefront of this year’s colour palette, with mostly monochrome tones appearing across the collection. With an undeniable gothic twist, slogans brandished pieces with likes of “witch” and “good mourning” (Definite Halloween inspo for me!)

Taking a completely different approach to all thinks twinkling was Erdem. The clothes drew inspiration from Her Majesty’s 1950s wardrobe, a collection favourite: a heavy yellow silk gown, with ribbons at each shoulder, dripped with jewels, as did the elbow length gloves worn with it. From patriotic motifs to cardigan cover ups, everything glittered- even embroidered flowers bloomed with crystals and pearls. This complete declaration of femininity follows us to our next trend…

Watch this spot to see why this trend is important to us!

2. Tulle, Sheer and Ruffles.

After a Queen comes a Princess, and what better way to play dress up than in the Queen of Tulle herself, Molly Goddard. "I wanted it to be a bit fruity," said Molly, after a wonderfully uplifting spring show at which Mayor of London Sadiq Khan was the unexpected front-row guest. A fluted mauve mini dress worn with flat leather riding boots, a voluminous flared dress with a white cotton base looked equally good fun; as did the final midi dress cut short to expose black tulle petticoats, worn with contrasting black motorcycle boots by Erin O'Connor. (…Among some of the strongest looks were also the sequin numbers – just reiterating that sequin memo: they could be everywhere in Spring 18!).

With echo’s of ‘The Scarlett Letter’ and bonnets reminiscent of ‘The Handmade’s Tale’ Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi had been thinking about the world their two young daughters are growing up in. With its empowering message, it was a literal collection, set amongst plastic boxes with flowers in them, which Thornton explained were an illustration of how femininity is pigeonholed. "We talked about feminism in terms of femininity: how women should embrace their femininity and not feel as if they can't show it." Amongst their work were some of my favourite looks of the week; sheer tulle, accompanying knitwear and again embroidered sequins across a range of slip dresses are at the top of my unrealistic wish list!

Flipping the femininity coin, trend No.3…

It may be a few ruffles, but you still need the right basic underneath.

3. Tailoring – Shirts & Boxy Blazers.

The idea of despair twinned with entitlement — which Hussein Chalayan believes is fostered by the digital age — was the designer’s starting point for this collection. Interpreting the idea of “framing the body,” there were jackets with nipped-in waists — some of which were cut to reveal the back, bringing only a subtle femininity to those otherwise masculine shapes — paired with loosely tailored pants.

Then, inspired by eleven-time gold Paralympic dressage medallist Natasha Baker, known as the horse-whisperer, the design duo Teatum Jones showcased diversity through an exploration of the human form. Embodying Natasha's feminine and bright personality, the SS18 collection featured romantic spring colours, soft tailoring and weightless fabrics. Yet the juxtaposing boxy, double-breasted suits spoke for themselves. It celebrated individuality in body shapes, featuring volumes and lengths for every shape and need - a definite favourite!

Half our collection is all about base layers. A good suit needs the perfect fitting tee.

This is why Fashion Week is important to us. If you're investing in a good basic it has to be right. So occasionally we do a little adjusting and tweaking to make sure our quality basics are just right for your wardrobe. This is why if you buy from us year after year you may notice a sleeve is a little longer or a neck a little higher because we've been paying attention to trends!