New York Fashion Week: Pleats, surf-inspiration and more Spring 2014 trends to note

Pretty in Pleats

Adding an extra flip to the season’s signature skirts, pleats were all over spring runways. Alexander Wang paired pleats with a cropped white button-down, Thakoon’s pleats upped the romance on petal-print dresses and Michael Kors paired a lightweight grey knit with a sheer pleated skirt for a chic tone-on-tone ensemble. Meanwhile, Proenza Schouler upgraded their pleats, bonding them with silver and bronze foil for a dose of metallic shine.

Surf’s up

Sun, sand and surf inspired many a beach-ready ensemble for spring. J.Crew took inspiration from the bold prints and colours of the California coast and the romantic, boardwalk looks of the Venetian coast, Calla riffed on early ‘90s surf culture with a collection of vivid pastels and Body Glove-inspired silhouettes, and Timo Weiland showed breezy lightweight fabrics and tropical prints inspired by Indonesian surfers. Tommy Hilfiger meanwhile, brought the beach to fashion week and made the boardwalk his runway for his collection of California cool looks.

The new nomad

Several designers riffed on the idea of the modern nomad for spring. Donna Karan showed a dessert ready collection of flowing fabrics, sun-baked earth tones and exotic prints, while Anna Sui sent out a tribe of boho gypsies wearing hippie frocks, eclectic prints and linen hood-scarves. At The Row, Mary-Kate and Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen’s nomad was decidedly urban with shades of distant lands in veiled hats, long languid layers and printed African robes.