We’re SO ready for spring.
On a miserable January morning, it can sometimes feel as though bright evenings, warm weather and – most importantly payday – will never come.
Thankfully, we can count on fashion to transport us into the next season and get excited about putting together outfits that won’t get hidden under a hoodie/coat/raincoat combo. The spring fashion season officially kicked off in Dublin this week, at the Brown Thomas SS20 runway show.
The eagerly anticipated show sees the cream of Ireland’s fashion writers and stylists come together for the unveiling of the new season’s collections at an always impressive runway show. This week’s show took place at the Douglas Hyde Gallery at Trinity College, where the models wove through sand dunes in a set with a stark, industrial feel.
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?????? What a wonderful show ? Here’s to a magnificent season ahead ? @officialbrownthomas #BTSS20
As well as showcasing the key designer pieces you’re going to see on red carpets and magazine covers in the coming months, the Brown Thomas show – brought together by the store’s Fashion Director Shelley Corkery and her team – is a key indication of the major trends we want to tap into for spring.
1. ’70s & 80s nostalgia
Have you ever seen the original movie version of Nine to Five? If not, watch it immediately and make Dolly, Jane and Lily your style icons for the new season. But don’t confine yourself to one decade: pair the long floral skirts and pussy bow blouses of the 1970s with the power shoulders and loud patterns of the 1980s and it all adds up to 2020.
Celine culotte jumpsuit, €3,250
2. A garment less ordinary
It gladdened my heart no end to see lots of wearable pieces in the spring collections – the kind of stuff that you can imagine yourself in without having to add ‘if I lost 3 stone, lived in the Caribbean and had a private yacht’. Just because they are wearable, however, doesn’t mean that they have to be boring. There were cute twists and stylish accents seen on pieces throughout the show, from a sweet blue cotton Miu Miu dress studded with crystals to a chic black Dior dress worn with high top trainers. Embellishment is in – if designers could add a ruffle or bow or studs or embroidery to a garment, they did.
Valentino puff sleeved dress €1,980
3. Victoria Beckham is so chill
Over the past few years, we’ve seen a sartorial relaxation from VB in both her collections and her personal style. It still shocked me, however, to see her new floaty dresses worn with flat shoes in the Brown Thomas show. I honestly never thought I’d see the day, but I like her all the more for it. (Anyone who preferred the more buttoned up Mrs Beckham need not worry – there’s still plenty of structured suiting in there too!) The green dress below was a fitting showstopper to end the Brown Thomas show.
Victoria Beckham dress, €1,760
4. The Love Island influence?
Ok, so I know that it’s far more likely that the fashion houses were influenced by J-Lo and not Maura Higgins, but the abundance of tropical patterns appearing for spring may actually give you fanny flutters. Versace, Valentino and Dolce & Gabbana lead the pack here with collections that bypass the first shoots of spring and go straight to a HOT tropical summer.
Dolce & Gabbana silk chiffon dress, €3,950
5. There’s something for everyone
Into structured minimalism? Try Bottega Venetta and Jil Sander. Is lace your thing? Look to Loewe or Alexander McQueen. Love a bit of eccentric excess? Richard Quinn is your reference point. Want cutting edge cool? Then you need to know about Khaite. My favourite thing about this season’s collections is that there’s no one over-riding aesthetic, but instead a collection varied inspirations. So that means that there’s something to appeal to all tastes – and plenty of options for anyone who gets too bored to be pinned down to one style. Oh and there was a sprinkling of sparkle throughout the show that proves that sequins are not just for Christmas – WIN!
Khaite puff-sleeved dress, €1,670
