Top Trend: Pastels

Pastel colors are often labelled as either ladylike and boring or ultra girly and childish, either way implying a very classic vibe. This spring, the dust has been blown off the powdered palette, and soft pastel hues are reborn from their ashes.

So how to rock pastel without looking like a pale copy (bad pun intended) of a royal, or falling in the “I borrowed my 7-year-old sister’s dress” trap? Well, the exercise is easier that it seems, and soft colors can be cool in all sorts of styles: lavender, peach, mint green, blush, or the notorious Millennial pink, the offering is so wide we have no doubt everyone can find a pastel shade to get passionate about.

So let’s make peace with pastels, and see what Spring/Summer 2018 has in store in terms of soft-hued shades.

Krizia, Haider Ackermann, Cristiano Burani

The perk with pastels is that you don’t need go big to make a statement: if you don’t feel like pulling out a sorbet color block or head-to-toe pastel, a single piece or accessory in a tangy color is enough to brighten up any outfit. Indeed, some designers delivered delightfully effortless and soothing spring-ready silhouettes, like this pleated baby blue dress by Krizia. The asymmetrical cut embellished with ruffles creates a beautiful movement and the delicate, muted color completes the look.

Haider Ackermann imagined a more sculptural silhouette, yet just as easy and stunning. The pale yellow long and lean dress has second skin sleeves and doesn’t show much cleavage. However the elaborate construction wraps the body in a very flattering way, and the two asymmetrical cut-outs along the torso dissect the look without weighting it down. Just as with the Krizia look, the Ackermann dress makes striking a statement all on its own and doesn’t call for heavy accessorizing, only minimal black or white shoes to bring the freshness of the dresses to the forefront.

At the Cristiano Buriano show, we witnessed an interesting and refreshing interpretation of the sweet sorbet tones. The designer proved that a dress made of peachy satin doesn’t always have to be relegated promwear. Instead it too is able to achieve a sleek and futuristic edge. The Buriano dress has long sleeves, a high collar, and a spectacular bias cut. But what really makes it outstanding is the dark grey zig zag embellishment zipping down the front of the dress, perfectly matched to the model’s mid-height, pointy pumps.

Versace, Anya Hindmarch, Marta Jakubowski

Designer Marta Jakubowski also played the card of pastel adapted to a very modern aesthetic with her utilitarian lavender ensemble. A reworked sleeveless two-pocket jacket came paired with a satisfyingly simply cut midi dress split in the middle and finished off with some very subtle silver sandals. The rendering is fresh, sophisticated, and reminds us of a contemporary Degas ballerina that escaped from the dreamy spring scenery.

Anya Hindmarch’s take on the trend will please those who feel more adventurous with color and print mixing, with this beach ready outfit all in green and white. Although all the pieces complement each other, from the matching headband and shorts, to the XXL bicolor bag, the piece that completes this vestmentary puzzle is the short sleeved mint green shirt with white and green embroideries. This utterly retro look is a perfect pastel for sunbathing in style.

Versace chose to revisit colors that served the brand well in the 80s.  Our favorite outfit from this unsaturated palette collection  was the head-to-toe baby pink outfit with high-waisted mom jeans and a Versace logo simple tee. So perfectly retro it reminds us of our childhood Barbie dolls. Pretty in pink, yes, but also very fashionable in pink, with edgy and stylish accessories: loafers, micro bag, sunglasses, thin belt, all in the same soft bubble-gum pink.

Washed out hues definitely aren’t fading away into oblivion. And with the world feeling like a very hard place right now, why not add a bit of softness into your wardrobe this season. These pastel pieces will surely give you, at the very least, a bit of sartorial peace of mind.

Marta Indeka

After studying Marketing at ESSEC Business School, Marta has recently joined Launchmetrics driven by the desire to engage in what thrills her most : fashion. When not scrolling through runway pictures or debating about prospective trends, she enjoys exploring new places in search of hidden gems.