From the red carpets of Hollywood and Cannes, to the catwalks of fashion weeks in London, New York and Paris, to high streets worldwide, Winter 2011 saw a monumental return to old-school, high-octane glamour - 2011's signature style and the driving force behind almost every trend last winter. In form, it was all about elegance and sophistication. The classic tunic and trousers combination turned heads from the catwalks to the high streets as a champion of both continental fashion houses and wholesale ladies clothing manufacturers alike, while the decadence of fur was lent to collars and sleeves for a retro glamour aesthetic. The hat made a return, courtesy of Irish milliner Philip Treacy and his part in the Royal Wedding, while American designer Donna Karan brought back the choker, with strands of pearls gilding the necks of her models in a picture of demure elegance. However, it seems this fairytale sophistication was not to last.
With the first catwalk shows of 2012 came the dawn of a seriously audacious print trend. Last year's metallics and jewel tones certainly turned heads, especially under the command of Belgian-American fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, styling sumptuous evening dresses in a single bold jewel colour head-to-toe, but this trend goes even further.
Garish florals are the style to be seen in this season. Multi-coloured, zany and bright, the petalled trend covered the catwalks at New York Fashion Week, and is on its way to the high street with the blessing of not only the continental fashion house glitterati, but the wholesale ladies clothing manufacturer and ladies wholesalers too. While designers such as Alexander Wang have never been a stranger to the brighter end of the palette, the trends has stretched even to Dries Van Noten, who has long been famed for his maturity and notoriously sombre palette.
Most designs seemed wearable, and it is likely this recession attitude to the trend has carried it into the favour of the wholesale ladies clothing manufacturers that will soon be mass-producing it. However, designers such as Christopher Kane has gone all out on his renderings, presenting dresses created from floral stickers and organza, a style that is unlikely to be seen on the high street any time soon.
This trend marks a zeitgeist shift for the whole fashion industry, as last year’s modernist cool is forsaken in favour of this year’s vivid brights – just don't take them too seriously.
