All Aboard

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It’s a given that designers are drawn to the sea for their summer collections – naval blue and white look perennially fresh, after all. But now the modern surfer girl, riding the wave of sports couture for the past few seasons, has downed her board to meet her more refined deck-bound cousin. This summer, billowing dresses with a smattering of stripes and broderie anglaise have caught the imagination. Valentino, Balenciaga, The Row and Christopher Lemaire all felt the pull of starchy cottons and silk separates.

The essence of this new mood is a lightness that comes from clean lines and simple shapes; there is nothing precious about it. Replace your cashmere, for example, with a cotton fisherman’s jumper – then fly somewhere exotic and you’ll instantly look the part. On a quest for innovation, this time around designer administered a clever reboot, borrowing less literally from maritime uniform and giving details their own stamp. Stella McCartney’s Perspex anchor choker will dazzle with modernity in the sun, while Julien David showed a naval captain’s jacket. Meanwhile JW Anderson transformed the typically fresh look into a subversive bricolage, wrapping naval sundresses with loosely buttoned leather corset and mooring part storm flap, part rudder lapels onto sleeveless tops with rope.

“We’re going to Green Turtle Cave in the Bahamas, one of my favourite spots,” says Tbi designer Amy Smilovic, a keen traveller who showed crisp white cotton sail dresses, wide striped culottes and an azure off-the-shoulder top tied at the cuff. “We’ll sail to a deserted beach, build afire and fry fresh fish.” She plans to wear her popin sleeveless crop-top with side tie and loose-fitting lightweight culottes for the trip – an ensemble that will look just as good in the city come August.

STREET CHIC: JESSICA HART AND ANNE VYALITSYNA BY TOMMY TON FOR US HARPER'S BAZAAR MARCH 2013sonia rykiel jw anderson altuzarra

Spring/Summer 2015 Sonia Rykiel | Spring/Summer 2015 Altuzarra | Spring/Summer 2015 JW Anderson

 

Spring/Summer 2015 3.1 Phillip Lim

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Spring.Summer 2015 3.1 Phillip Lim 2Spring.Summer 2015 3.1 Phillip Lim 3

Phillip Lim abandoned the boxy brights of patchwork we’ve seen from him the last couple of seasons and opted for something more fluid today. His worked and textured fabrications were still there but this time wound round the body into contour tops, tubing a detail to line their silhouette.

The idea had in fact come from the bedroom – but this was perhaps the least obvious “boudoir” reference we had seen, more sporty, fresh and clean in feel than is traditionally translated (boudoir usually conjuring up concoctions of lace, feathers and beyond), though there were still a lot of layers to contend with here.

Spring.Summer 2015 3.1 Phillip Lim 1Spring.Summer 2015 3.1 Phillip Lim

 

 

 

Spring/Summer 2015 Temperley London

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THE first show season since Temperley London combined its mainline and ALICE offerings and things are looking strong. That was a good idea – and you could see the balance between the two working all the better for now working as one. It felt fresh, young, clean, tight, modern.

“It was great to focus solely on an amazing show collection with more daywear, core pieces and loads of very versatile separates,” explained Temperley pre-show, singling out again “versatile” and “sexy” as key buzzwords.

“I was inspired by colour and print from very naughty Japanese paintings, woodblock prints, surreal sea creatures and lots of mixing of layers and kimono references with our looks both for day and evening,” she went on. And all of this was entirely evident. Cropped trench jackets, breezy skirts worn over trousers but whose effect was only really felt wafting away as it did at the back, gingham and plaid, pink and black stripes, dense embroideries, stiff A-line silhouettes.

Slouchy-boxy tailoring was given the Temperley edge with lace accents and despite all of these references and layers, it never felt heavy.

“The Temperley girl is more relaxed with a very sexy attitude,” the designer pointed out.

The mood suits her well.

Click below to shop Spring/Summer 2015 Temperley London looks: