From The Straits Times    |

From the looks of it, next S/S ‘19 is set to be a bold and daring one. Taking the baton from New York, London Fashion Week – which happens to be the first-ever fur-free one to date – has officially come to a close, having showcased a spirited and lively presentation of looks. From fluorescent neon brights spotted at Ashish to hauntingly mysterious human portraits printed on the looks of Riccardo Tisci’s debut collection at Burberry, London’s designers certainly weren’t afraid of embracing loud colours, exaggerated silhouettes and eyebrow-raising prints.

Start preppin’ your wardrobes for next year with our breakdown of the hottest new trends that have emerged from the runways of #LFW.

 

The upside down triangle

Against the subtle softness of spring, a bold and sharp silhouette is rising up the ranks of S/S ‘19’s top trends. We’re referring to the straight-edged shoulder – but unlike past seasons where the ‘80s strong shoulder made a roaring comeback in the form of oversized silhouettes, this season’s dramatic shoulder is complemented with a tapered torso for further emphasis. Giving rise to a shape that can only be described as an “upside down triangle”, this silhouette was seen at Roksanda in the form of a striped blazer, as a periwinkle blue laced dress at Erdem and rocking a sultrier look as a laced skirt suit at Christopher Kane.

 

Foiled plans

Make like a magpie next spring and go for shiny metallic fabrics. From Halpern’s glittering extravaganza of crinkled gold mod dresses to Roland Mouret’s disco ball of a dress in metallic silver, foiled finishes prove to be ‘in’ for the season ahead. Simone Rocha even had a stunning orange-bronze taffeta puff-ball dress – a party piece sure to outshine everyone else in the room.

ALSO READ: THE TREND EDIT: PATCHWORK DRESSES, GRAPHIC FLORALS AND PUFFY SLEEVES AT NEW YORK FASHION WEEK S/S’19

 

Face painting

Perhaps the most gripping element in Riccardo Tisci’s debut collection as chief creative officer for Burberry was a series of trousers and pleated skirts plastered with archival photographs of victorian portraits. Simone Rocha did the same with a tribute to the Tang dynasty, printing oil paintings of women inspired by 16th century artwork found in an antique market in Hong Kong on various tapestry dresses and bell skirts. It’s about time we wear our art on our sleeves.

 

Fluorescent dreams

Lighting up the runway in vivid neon brights, designers are giving up their neutral colour palettes in exchange for invigorating and scorching highlighter hues for S/S ‘19. From punchy pinks, zesty oranges and day-glo limes, fluorescent tones are creating a sense of optimism for spring 2019. Take a look at Ashish’s vibrant array of ‘90s evocative partywear, Julien Mcdonald’s croc skin disco dress and the clashing neon colours at Rejina Pyo to see what we mean.

 

Net gala 

Everywhere we looked, there were a tonne of sartorial netting to be caught up in this London Fashion Week. Seen at Ports 1961, JW Anderson and Richard Malone, next season’s netting trend involves intricate macrame details and a bohemian air. Think of it as the evolved sister of the fishnet; a less sexy, more D-I-Y type of sister.

 

Photos: Showbit

ALSO READ: YOUR SPRING/SUMMER 2019 HAIR TREND REPORT