Pheromones are at an all time high as the fashion industry looks for inspiration in romance, where Cupid shot his arrow and the result is a runway full of red and pink.
Sarah Burton, right before she left for maternity leave presented a beautiful and delicate collection for Alexander McQueen, playing on the idea of sleepwalking, and the moment where reality and dreams become blurred. While the collection was entirely cohesive, the sheer silk in a light pink akin to Resene Pink Terrace cc was a vision of romance and drove home the dream state inspiration.
Much like previous collections, Marchesa presented another range of showstopping creations, described as regal and powerful like a queen. The show was dramatic and extravagant on the whole, but the hero was a deep red, high-neck, gown in a colour similar to Resene Bullseye. What is more romantic than a red rose? And this is exactly what designers Georgina Chapman and Karen Craig landed on when they looked at the royal gardens at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, which then became the focus for the collection as it developed.
Ralph Lauren and Rodarte coined onto the same train of thought, both presenting gowns in colours comparable to Resene Blaze and Resene Red Hot. Ralph Lauren focussed delivering a range that was inherently regal, incorporating high levels of velvet into the collection, alongside the use of the Queen’s golden coat of arms as a fastener.
Taken out of context, the soft and ethereal red chiffon dress could be seen as an elegant piece in a hyper-romantic collection, however considering the collection in its entirety, elements of the punk rock inspiration start to bleed through. The result is a blend of dark emotion into what ultimately became a product that looked as if it stepped out of a gothic revival romance film, soft and elegant but deep and textured.
Much like its colour pair Resene Sakura, the Gucci pink chiffon dress was a beautiful mix of Asian influence and ‘80s French couture. It was one of the many dresses that brought together multiple elements, in a collection that was focussed on history. The range cited influences including Catherine de’ Medici, ‘70s sportswear and the idea of a Renaissance biker, and marked the first anniversary of Alessandro Michele’s appointment as creative director. Oscar de la Renta also looked to the past for inspiration moving forward.
Having served his first year at the helm of the company, Peter Copping has been praised for showing extreme consideration to the roots of the brand, this season paying homage to the legendary clash of French and American designers at the 1973 Battle of Versailles.
“It was about modernity and the minimalism of American sportswear versus French tradition,” said Copping.
Amongst the colour palette was a pink parallel to Resene Boutique cc. Copping took the 18th century inspiration and his previous knitwear development experience at Nina Ricci to engineer new high-tech sports fabrics with vintage designs.
