The Style Files : Trend Reports from Global Fashion Weeks 

The fashion world presented to the rest of the world its sensationally inimitable breed of masterly designs this fashion week. Here are some top trends that will likely find their way into your wardrobe for the upcoming season. 

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Colombo Fashion Week SS17 : Trend Report 

Muted Minimalist 

The runways of Nayani  Fernando and Vathsala Gunasekera possessed what felt like the essential nature of minimalism. Sleek silhouettes, muted colours and an austere androgyny delighted audiences as designers emerged with a penchant for elegance. Minimal adornment, muted colours  and streamlined shapes introduced a new sort of futurism to fashion. 

Riotous Colour 

As shown by Angelina Senevirathne, Jai and Amanda Weerasinghe, colour is key for SS 17. Their  designs displayed creativity and innovation, pairing contemporary stylings with revived, elemental classics all in riotous hues. Colour was a strong feature on the catwalks and has emerged as one of the major fashion stories for SS17.  This is about lightning bolts of colour: shocking pink, flaming yellow,  fluorescent violet and electric blue. And, what is more, the idea is to wear several of them together. Clashing colour is the name of fashion's rainbow game and the aim is to make the contrast as sharp and bright as possible. 

Batik Beautiful 

Very mindfully energized from the past, and invigorated from the present, the batik elements in renowned designer Sonali Dharmawardene captured the attention of the runway rows as did Charini and Gihan Ediriweeras. It was a material world in Colombo with fabric being a  focus of these shows. 

Into The Blue 

Blue in particular, navy featured heavily in collections from Dimuthu Sahabandu, Maus, Ramona Oshini and U by Upeksha. Is navy the new black for SS17? Everything and everyone looks good in navy. It is more forgiving than black, less harsh and carries with it a subtle whiff of sophistication. It stripes better than any other colour, and looks both classic and sharp at the same time. 

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London Fashion Week AW 16 : Trend Report 

Sheer Transparency 

This texture was the  A lister of London Fashion Week. Almost every designer was seen flaunting their models flesh with a variety of sheer fabrics. It’s been a go to fashion staple for a few seasons and for A/W16 looks set to take centre stage. 

Dressy Denim 

Denim has always been a much loved casual but for A/W16 designers have elevated its status and denim will be getting a smart makeover. From Emilia Wickstead’s classic shift dresses to voluminous bell skirts, I can’t wait to start adding some smart pieces to my (mostly ripped) denim collection. 

Sequins & Sparkle 

From sequins and gems to diamante embellishment, the catwalk was continually shimming with sparkling. Sequins that knew nothing of subtlety, heavily adorned garments, and flashy silhouettes all demanded attention on the runways with  pieces from designers including Burberry and Preen by Thornton Bregazzi. 

Ruffles & Frills 

Ruffles are such a huge trend for SS16 and judging by the designs at London Fashion Week, they aren’t going away any time soon. Peter Pilotto and  Erdem were just some of London power house designers who chose to add a frill or two to their catwalk collections. Ruffles and Frills are s versatile you can choose to adopt the trend through bags and shoes not just clothing. 

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Milan Fashion Week AW 16 : Trend Report 

Velvet 

In various silhouettes and forms, velvet, a favoured  luxury material, proved to have a powerful resurgence this season in Milan.  Softly plush and decadent, this season’s fabric of choice, appeared in multiple forms — from dresses embroidered with beading at Prada, to the sharply-tailored looks at Emporio Armani, and buttery pyjama style suits at Alberta Ferretti. In almost every designer collection, nods to lush, crushed fabric were spotted. 

 

(L-R) Blush (Gucci), Metallics (Max Mara) and Slip Dresses (Versace) 

Metallics 

Metallic influences were evident this season.  From the all over metallics to detailed metal foiling and delicate traces of shimmer, metallics are a key trend for AW16. Max Mara did heavy complete metal, as well as metallic blocking, Missoni, Giorgio Armani, and Brunello Cucinelli all incorporated metallic influences with distinctive looks. 

Blush Hues 

This season, if one colour really stood out, as the color featured in the runway collections of most Italian designers: a dusty pink. This pale shade was incorporated in accent pieces, as well as a primary color in attention-demanding styles. Gucci paid tribute to blush with a monochrome  head to toe look with everything in the identical shade. Dolce & Gabbana dressed their models in sequined mini dresses that created a wave of pink as they closed the show. 

Slip Dresses 

The effortlessly sexy slip dress was a recurring silhouette during Milan Fashion Week. Showcased in various styles and forms, the slip dress graced the runways in crushed velvet, patterned in stripes, fabricated in full-on metallics, inset with pleats, and layered over second-skin like turtlenecks. Donatella Versace, the queen of sexy dressing showed varying  styles of slip dresses on her runway, followed by designers like Missoni, Jil Sander and Gucci. 

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Trend Report New York Fashion Week AW/16 

 

L-R Asymmetrical (BCBG), Gold Dress (DVF) and Think Preppy (Marc Jacobs) 

All that glitters IS gold! 

Gold, sequins and glitter, what more could a woman want? Dressing like an Oscar statue has never been more fashionable! The collections are for Autumn Winter, the time of cocktails and Christmas parties,  so make sure you have a gold dress or two in your wardrobe as this hue is bang on trend.  Designers like Dianne Von Furstenbuerg, Marc Jacobs and Ralph Lauren all showed the golden hue. 

Floral Fantasy 

For Autumn Winter 2016 the floral trend shows no sin of abating.  The fashion houses like Michael Kors, Carolina Herrera and Marchesa have challenged the preconception of flowers being limited only to Spring/Summer and have adorned pieces in their collections with luxe, applique style sewing and bead-work to create some exquisite floral displays. 

Think Preppy 

Fitted blazers, giant pussy-bows and crisp shirts were seen strutting down many a catwalk at New York Fashion Week. Designers showed the look in many forms classic at Ralph Lauren, country life from Philip Lim and a gothic twist from Marc Jacobs.  Just add some geek-chic glasses to show this look off at it's best. 

Asymmetrical 

If fashion is all about breaking the boundaries,having fun and being cool then who would want to keep things symmetrical and sensible? This season it's definitely not Diane von Furstenberg, BCBG Max Azria or Boss, as they were all seen presenting classic cuts, bold shapes, neutral colour blocking - however all showcased a modern and interesting twist with striking asymmetry factored into the design. 

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Paris Fashion Week AW 16 : Trend Report 

(Paris Fashion Week is on till the 9th of March, so this is a round up of the trends so far) 

Wide Legged Trousers 

A staple at Celine, one of the most anticipated shows of the PFW (Paris Fashion Week) calendar. It is a brand that has had the fashion industry in raptures since Phoebe Philo became creative director in 2008. This very wearable trend is back in focus and while it may seem daunting to style after years of the skinny jean, it’s classic and simple but boasts a silhouette that turns heads all the same. 

 

L-R Pastels (Chloe) and Waist (Balmain) 

The Waist is back 

Both Dior and Balmain focused on the waist and slightly exaggerated hips. Corset style tops with heave boning and wide cinched belts to show off tiny waists were de riguer. While the Balmain look was more structured at Dior waists were highlighted in a softer way through ladylike midi dresses that were nipped in the waist. 

Pastels 

Less sugary sweet, more muted and watered down pastels were on most runways from famed houses like Chloe to Lanvin.  Balmain did girly brocade in body hugging silhouettes, the Chloe look was more a gypsy in the wild west and Lanvin showed pastel ruffles. Pastels evoke a strong sense of femininity and done right sexuality too. 

Minis 

More is not always better as shown to us by Courreges  who brought it sharply back to the basics of its 1960s minimalist roots. They went in big on miniskirts, which the brand claims to have co-invented, a trend picked up by Anthony Vaccarello among others.