Frills and ruffles ring the changes for a new pre-season offering an all-items update that can be as dressed up or as dressed down as you like, says our trend expert Sandra Halliday in her latest in a series of Resort 17 Trend Reports.
After most collections are shown/lookbooks released, the fashion press falls over itself to come up with new superlatives as to how exquisite, ground-breaking and transformational they are. The industry meanwhile is just thinking “where’s the update?” as it looks for ways to reinvent strong sellers for a new (pre) season.
Well, the assorted ranks of designer labels have given us a key update for Resort 2017 and it’s one that be applied to day and eveningwear, tops, bottoms, casual outerwear, formal coats, knits and dresses.
So what’s the wonder detail? It’s the frill. Whether a tightly gathered mini frill or a sweeping waterfall ruffle it’s a clear winner in the update stakes.
What’s especially interesting is the way this detail has been picked up by labels across a broad spectrum of brand profiles to give us plenty of inspiration for the ultra formal through to casual day and even beach or denim dressing.
So what do we get to choose from?
At one extreme is the tight frill used to create emphasis on a top or knit. It’s the kind of frill that made a real impact a few seasons back with Simon Rocha’s collab with J Brand and has finally moved through the mainstream. It works well for drawing attention to a neckline, a pocket, a cuff or the overall outline of a silhouette and looks great in crisp or soft cottons.
At the other extreme is one I’ll call the Reaganomics Frill as it reminds me of so many gala gowns from the Ronald Reagan days in the White House. It gives us a dramatic sweep, working best in stiff organzas or other materials with as much body. Imagine it in a sweep down the length of an evening dress or trimming the asymmetric hem of a mini skirt.
Between those two extremes is the tiered ruffle, trimming a dressy or casual top it adds extra oomph to an otherwise-simple shell. And as a multi-tier detail on a long or party-focused mini dress it can range from the boho to the go-go with a subtle 60s edge.
Image credits:
Dresses/skirts:
Red Valentino, Louis Vuitton, Cinq Ă Sept, Isa Arfen, Aquilano-Rimondi, Gucci, MSGM, Elie Saab, Elie Saab
Tops:Â
Louis Vuitton, Delpozo, Markus Lupfer, Delpozo, Cinq Ă Sept, MSGM
Read more Resort 17 Trend Reports
Denim: from dressed up to ultra decorated
Dresses: the three key shapes
Jackets: the bomber and biker go into battle
