New tribes

For summer fashion inspiration, find your tribe, writes DEIRDRE MCQUILLAN

DRAWING FROM OTHER cultures is nothing new in fashion. Safari style is a commercial perennial; a failsafe trend of inexhaustible allure, while African, Asian, Indian, Aztec and Scandinavian prints are regenerated on the international catwalks season after season, this one being no exception.

The collections of Haider Ackermann, Michael Kors, Alberta Ferretti and Donna Karan drew from other artistic horizons for spring, creating contemporary clothes that are resolutely urban in taste. They are no sooner on the catwalk, than they filter down to the high street. It’s modern decoration with the emphasis on handwork.

Michael Kors brought American ease to familiar safari-style combinations; a pristine white shirt worn with a dip-dyed skirt was typical of a collection dominated by big cat spots – zebra prints, tiger prints and even leopard-printed feathers on dresses. Alberta Ferretti’s bold, colourful patterns drew on Zulu motifs and tribal tattoos, while Donna Karan looked to Haiti and primal prints for a resolutely urban collection.

The items on these pages take up the theme. An Indian embroidered collar or Masai-style necklace can instantly transform a plain sweater or dress and printed silk trousers – trimmer than the roomier, traditional Indian trousers – are fresh and summery and worn with an oversize knit, have a cool modern look. (Whistles has a pretty Wisteria-print number.) The new season’s scarf prints have brightened up silky tops – Zara are front runners in the field – and jewellery, like this spikey blue bracelet, does the rest.