I'm so excited to bring you the latest and hottest trends for Spring/Summer 2012. The main trend for this upcoming season is definitely color – and lots of it. Isaac Mizrahi incorporated florals in his runway styles and according to a Pantone survey, tangerine is the fresh new color American designers are craving. Other delectable hues? Green, lemon, red, magenta, violet, sea blue, and chartreuse all made the cut. But pastels, pales, grays, cream, and blush tones stole the show in Paris. On-trend with Kate Middleton’s wedding color scheme, white is also a must have for your closet and the racks in your stores and boutiques. This upcoming season is all about remembering easier, lighter times of the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s. And don’t forget it’s all about the color blocking!
Retailers, boutiquers, fashion PR girls, and fashionistas alike, be sure to read below and take notes on my guide to the must-have trends and the designers that are doing them right!
TREND: Florals
DESIGNERS: Isaac Mizrahi (hothouse peonies), Jason Wu (petals), Proenza Schouler (leaves)
TREND: Surreal spectaculars
DESIGNERS: Prabal Gurung
TREND: Tropicals
DESIGNERS: Altuzarra (Hawaiian motifs), Ferragamo (Hawaiian motifs)
TREND: Gingham and paisley
DESIGNERS: Raf Simons for Jil Sander
TREND: Birds
DESIGNERS: Carolina Herrera, Reed Krakoff, Suno
TREND: Fusions
DESIGNERS: Mary Katrantzou, Diane von Furstenberg, Tory Burch, Preen, Zero + Maria Cornejo, Nicolas Ghesquière for Balenciaga
TREND: Seahorses and starfish
DESIGNER: Versace
TREND: Scarf prints
DESIGNERS: Pucci, Ferragamo
TREND: Photo prints
DESIGNERS: Betsey Johnson, Dries Van Noten, Manish Arora
TREND: Art prints
DESIGNERS: Rodarte (Van Gogh), Chado Ralph Rucci (his own), Frida Giannini’s “Hard Deco” graphics for Gucci
TREND: Loose, slouchy, body-friendly silhouettes
DESIGNERS: Yeohlee, Rucci, Joanna Mastroianni, Marco Zanini for Rochas, Stella McCartney, Phoebe Philo for Céline, Christophe Lemaire for Hermès, Laura Biagiotti, Sander, Valentino
TREND: Pleats (Knife, accordion, box, cartridge, sunburst, inverted, Fortuny)
DESIGNERS: Clare Waight Keller for Chloé (leather-stripped pleats), Sonia Rykiel’s (pleated coats in four colors)
TREND: Peplum
DESIGNERS: Preen, Gareth Pugh, Vera Wang, Thakoon,
TREND: Anorak, parkas, motorcycle jacket, track pants, sweats, warm-ups and utility jackets with mesh inserts
DESIGNERS: Inuit, Isabel Marant, Rag & Bone, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim for Kenzo and Theysken’s Theory
TREND: Lace (Alençon lace, Battenberg lace, Brussels lace, Chantilly lace, Venetian lace and lace’s sisters, crochet and macramé)
DESIGNERS: Valentino, Pucci, MiuMiu, Luisa Beccaria, Erdem, McQueen, Oscar de la Renta and Junya Watanabe
TREND: Powdered crocodile, whitewashed croc, eelskin snakes, python
DESIGNERS: Louis Vuitton, Derek Lam for Tod’s, Proenza Schouler, Michael Kors, Rucci
TREND: The Bra
DESIGNERS: Betsey Johnson, Anna Sui, Ricci, Dolce & Gabbana, Aquilano Rimondi, Roland Mouret, Pucci, Jean Paul Gaultier
TREND: Sheer
DESIGNERS: Marios Schwab, Bottega Veneta, Vuitton, Christopher Kane, Lanvin, Alber Elbaz
TREND: The Little White Dress
DESIGNERS: Donna Karan, Hussein Chalayan, Owens, Sander, Hermes
QUICK GUIDE:
Color: Brights, Whites, Chalky Pastels
Prints: Geos, Fusion, Florals, Photo Prints
Pleats - Couture Touches - Sport - Ease - Lace - Full Skirts - The Wedge The Loafer - The Smaller Day Bag - The Bag That Matches The Clothes - Vintage-Looking Jewelry, Pearls, Crosses
My article is also posted on FashionEdits, view it here.