If you think about it, resort wear is the best of both worlds because it is inherently summer clothing dotted abundantly with plentiful cover up options in the same bag. While the resort wear shows are long over, the trends are only just ripening up for our perusal. Thanks to the millennial approved globalization of wanderlust and a focus on wellness as the new form of luxury, resort clothing is now more relevant than it has ever been.
Cruise wear this season is refreshingly clean and relaxed with a scent of sci-fi dropped in the mix. While most trends echo a common sentiment of luxury loungewear, we can definitely spot influences from the more urbane streetwear scene like racer checks and stripes or military jackets. The colours oscillated from glimmering disco night to pastel vitamins making the collections not just trans-seasonal but an elemental fit for every occasion. The good life of Sunday picnics and sailing through the Caribbean blues is on everyone’s mind.
Here are the big trends going all the way from jingoistic sportswear to modern girl DIY picked up from the Resort Collections of 2017.
Let’s Crochet
Kitschy with a soupçon of DIY, crocheted tops and dresses are the core of music festival fashion, inversely becoming a vacation essential in the same pursuit. While some brands like Alexander McQueen played up the multi-colour crafty grandma factor of the style, there is an interesting shift towards converting this knitted wonder into a deceptively serious fabric. While Balmain and Moschino played the crochet game in multicolour, Valentino and Peter Pilotto offered great dresses in solid colours with accented detailing.
Pyjama Player
We always talk about hitting that snooze button every morning so to help us catch the lost sleep that goes into outfit planning, designers have completely eliminated the whole fiasco. From coats that look exactly like bathrobes and striped pyjama sets in soft sleepy blues or blush pink, there is a nightwear option for every sleepy head. Therefore, whether you prefer starched whites that can go from bedroom to boardroom as seen at Protagonist and Tibi or Miu Miu’s lively printed styles, there is a pyjama in store for every party.
Luxe on Track
Health and fitness will be the key drivers of luxury in the coming years as personal well-being takes centre stage. To tap into experience economy’s obsession with athleisure, tracksuits are upgrading into an almost bourgeoisie territory with sleek cuts and technical fabrics. Whether you want to get drinks at the country club or just need to look like an elegant marathoner, cruise collections have you covered. Fendi and Off-White presented chic work out appropriate sets but Maison Margiela’s version could be easily incorporated into a trendy work wardrobe.
Pale Pink
Pink is easily the new black, and resort collections are in absolute agreement, but how is cruise pink different from Spring/Summer’s haughty fuchsia? As is the case with most of the resort wear styles, the collections are dripping in a more subdued, paler pink and this proves that a colour does not always have to be super ‘in your face’ to be impactful. Say hey to new age feminism in adolescent pink pieces from Delpozo, Bally and Roksanda celebrating girlhood in all its glory.
Prairie Queen
We are not sure if designers are referencing Little House on the Prairie or they are just shouting out to the new cult favourite, Stranger Things but the romantic eeriness of prairie chic is back in vogue. A strongly feminine combination of ditzy florals, tomboyish ginghams, conservative hems and necklines is getting a modern working girl update. From Calvin Klein and Giambattista Valli’s more traditionalist garbs to Sonia Rykiel and Coach’s modern take on this free-spirited trend, there are bountiful options for the modern cowgirl.
Ringing Bells
One of the more merciful throwbacks to the ’70s is the bell silhouette that starts outfitted, but goes up ballooning into the quintessentially summery bell-bottom or the more dramatic bell-sleeve. Fashion is always obsessed with movement so it is obvious that this style of flinging wrists will keep returning to inject some theatre into our wardrobes. Flaring up this love for the bells in full effect are trousers from Versace, Rosetta Getty and statement sleeves from Holly Fulton, Temperly London amongst a slew of others.
Race Course
A trend that is perhaps a combination of Americana loving derby and lingering patriotism or just the race of fashion taken a bit too literally. Chessboard checks as well as the combination of red, blue and white striping signals a fresh wave of clothing inspired from the paraphernalia of a F1 racer. An extension of the sportswear trend going beyond mere practice to dressing a luxe market of spectators. Chequered looks from Philipp Plein, Louis Vuitton or Versace’s tricoloured bomber are as suitable for a racing carnival as they are for the 4th of July parade.
Live to Dye
The overall wave of colours this season oscillated between hot monochromatic to soft pastels and many designers peppered their collections with tie and dye patterns employing these colours. A technique that looks extremely light hearted because of its Do It Yourself approach and a history of gaining popularity among the happy hippies, its optimism is winning many hearts. From lightweight separates at Dsquared2 to the languid maxi dresses at Tory Burch and Zimmermann, this technique is on its way to becoming a lounge wear favourite.
Tier not Tired
If a vacation in Spain or anywhere on the Caribbean is on cards, we know some frills and ruffles cannot be foregone from the packing list. The multi-layered skirt is just the grown up take on an overbearing ruffle mania rage, while ruffles may not work for everyone because of its superfluous femininity but tiers strike balance without getting boring. For a serious urge to twirl, head on to Prabal Gurung or Normal Kamali’s colourful gowns or go crazy in Chanel’s white lacy layers of frolic.
Brightly Trenched
A timeless classic gets a cheerful update; the trench coat is not just getting lighter but is getting unfurled in wildly bright colours like sunny yellows and orange. A cruise collection would make no sense without some transitional outerwear options but it does not have to be lacklustre. Animated trench coats are channelling the overall youthful and sprightly attitude of the season, and indulging your need for pure hedonism are pieces from Edun, Fendi and Tibi in buttery yellow.
Industry take…
Tushar Sharma, Toska Labs – “Fitness apparel is our main focus so we are doing plenty of constants like yoga or mélange pants and track suits in classic dark colours. With that being said, lighter shades of red and blue as well as paler pinks are also in demand. Even in terms of silhouette, slouchy and lounge-friendly bottoms, yoga pants with bright floral prints and heavy lycra is doing well. A very interesting new demand I have observed is of loose wrap around dresses that look very similar to bathrobes however, buyers want these constructed in a more daytime appropriate way. Another noticeable trend is of these extremely fitted tights for men which shows a new outlook at sportswear in general and its relevance beyond being just workout clothes.”
Rajiv Rathi, United Exports – “We are employing digital printing techniques to create big floral prints as well as using a lot of embroidery to achieve the textured look. Light fabrics like polyester, chiffon and georgette are looking quite popular and we are enhancing those using multicolour woollen or acrylic yarn embroideries and tassels. Prints like florals are always popular for summer collections and we are mostly doing bigger florals on white or lighter, solid colour bases. In terms of trousers, we are doing many wide, billowing harem pants. For colours, soft pastels in warm tones such as orange and yellow are the biggest hits while baby pink and blues are also going strong.”
Dhirendra Sharma, Prabal Sales – “I think with resort clients, the general trends are more or less the same as every year with some variations in prints. The silhouette is loose with wide leg pants and long ballooning sleeves that come with elastic cuffs. Solid pastels in lighter hues of yellow, orange and pinks are widespread as always. In terms of prints, big old school florals are definitely a key theme. In addition, we are using a lot of tie and dye technique in multicolours to achieve interesting patterns organically.”
