Catwalk fashion trend: The Big Easy
Take a deep breath and relax – one of the biggest ideas to emerge from the international collections had editors on the front row loosening their belts and dropping their sharp sculpted shoulders. Winter’s hard edges gave way to drapey jersey fabrics, rouched and pleated chiffons and forgiving and flattering nips and tucks in all the right places.
Drape (Lanvin)
As the king of understated elegance, Alber Elbaz’s designs for Lanvin define modern ladylike chic, and are always the perfect marriage between high fashion and timeless elegance. Draping is part of the Lanvin DNA – which is what makes this dress the ultimate drape piece to covet for summer 2010.
Rouching (Donna Karan)
Donna Karan’s New York show provided a master class on how real woman should get dressed for spring. Sophisticated looks looked chic and pulled together, but at the same time relaxed and comfortable. If we need to dress up this summer, we want to do it like this. Not least because of clever rouching that was not only on trend but the perfect camouflage for creating a smooth and streamline silhouette.
Pyjama Pants (Giorgio Armani)
Armani is synonymous with laid back elegance and is many a Milanese socialites’ go-to label when it comes to chic evening wear. What could be more elegant than a pair of slouchy, easy to wear pair of silk trousers? Armani certainly thought so, they opened his show in Milan. This fluid shape worked best on the catwalk when teamed with a neat jacket, nipped at the waist and evening flats.
Double Denim (Ralph Lauren)
Denim was exalted to catwalk status this season at Ralph Lauren in New York. The designer was, he told us, ‘paying homage to the sprit of American resilience in the face of adversity.’ He meant of course the tough economic year that was 2009. The result was a back to basics best-of denim, that most resilient of American textiles. The stand-out pieces were spring’s now must-have faded jeans (rolled at the hems) and a denim shirt or blazer. And how to wear them? All at once! Double denim is back.