See the Paris Fashion Week Spring 2014 trends »
TUNICS There are plenty of slip and shirt dresses around but the newest proportion is a tunic over a full skirt that sometimes – like at Céline - might even have an uneven or sheer hem. Celine Spring 2014
There’s only two more days of Paris Fashion Week Spring 2014, but the trends are already clear. There’s plenty to satisfy the street fashion stars who have an endless appetite for flamboyance. Here are the top trends:
Sport From polo tops over circle skirts at Céline, to the helmut caps and visors at John Galliano, Parisians are on the move. Which also explains all the zippered bombers, athletic mesh, perforated leather and elastic waists. But this new athleticism isn’t about dressing to shoot hoops. A knit collar borrowed from a varsity jacket is just as likely to wind up on a silk croc print, like it did at Stella McCartney.
Sparkle and Shine There’s a whole new type of modern glamour taking hold that is more interesting, more sophisticated even, than an all-over sequined sheath or satin ball gown. That could mean a mess of coloured discs on a miniskirt at Emanuel Ungaro, a pair of bronze jeans at Haider Ackerman or honeycomb patterned crystals at Maison Martin Margiela.
Legs Anyone under a certain age might not be familiar with a skort. It’s like a wide cropped pant, or two-legged skirt, depending how you look at it. And look at it you will be because these will be the bottoms of choice for the stylish set come spring. In fact, Viktor & Rolf put most of their schoolgirl shirts and tunics over skorts.
Legs also have the spotlight in peekaboo slits (even horizontal ones at Stella McCartney), sheer paneling or lace (worn with shorts underneath).
Pleats They are absolutely everywhere in long Fortuny-like dresses at Chloé, accordian-style with arced hems at Celine, and the twinkling gowns at Givenchy.
Tunics There are plenty of slip and shirt dresses around but the newest proportion is a tunic over a full skirt that sometimes – like at Céline - might even have an uneven or sheer hem.
Messages with heart Proclamations that we have seen on the runways this week include Life or Love written up the back of sneakers at Céline, slogans against overfishing at Kenzo, and an alphabet jacquard at Giambattista Valli. Fine art has also make its way onto fabrics with Brassai-inspired graffiti and brushstrokes at Céline, mosaic-like faces at Givenchy and Braque doves at Andrew Gn.
Bernadette Morra is the former editor-in-chief of FASHION magazine. She has been covering the Canadian and international fashion scenes for more than 30 years, first at The Toronto Star, then at FASHION. Over her long career Bernadette has interviewed many fashion world legends including Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford and Gianni Versace.
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