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