Spring fashion at Brown Thomas: ‘a new exuberance’

The bright yellow catwalk shone this morning at the Brown Thomas spring-summer fashion show, as the collections for the upcoming season were showcased in the accessories hall.

The themes were as varied as the designers but it was clear that more will be more for the season ahead. Fashion director Shelly Corkery said: “Many designers showcased a new exuberance with unconventional maximalism appealing to the peacocks among us.”

The potentially wintry theme of Victoriana continues into spring-summer and is amplified with yet more ruffles and frills from designers such as Erdem.

Ultra-feminine layering and high necklines appeared from Alexander McQueen, and bustiers and corsets were structurally favoured. Black lace in particular emerged as a surprising spring-summer Victorian trend, with designers such as Victoria Beckham, Celine and Chloe favouring the dark material.

The slip dress is another trend emerging for spring-summer. Givenchy experimented with this theme by draping sumptuous and silky dresses over trousers, resulting in an effortless and demure look.

If hemline theory – that hemlines rise along with stock prices – is anything to go by, the boom is back. For the first time in some years short skirts were seen from designers such as David Koma and Mary Katranzou. But don’t throw out your long skirts just yet, as they are still favoured by designers including Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and Victoria Beckham.

A noteworthy designer of the morning was Dries Van Noten, whose experimental colour blocking and pattern clashing caught the attention of the shows attendees. Also popular were the pink hues displayed by Gucci.

The newest addition to the Brown Thomas fashion hall was another of the admired designers of the morning. Thierry Mugler’s monochrome, elegant and tailored pieces are likely to be popular in the coming months.

For shoes and accessories the season ahead is varied. Maximalism continues as a trend, with embellishment, appliqué and fringing as a huge focus on clutch and shoulder bags. Flatform shoes remain a trend, and loafers in soft back styles are a welcome addition to the catwalk.

The lasting impression, on a cold winter’s morning, was of ultra-feminine excess, and a new season to look forward to.