Top Trend: Sequins

When speaking of summer party wear, sequins surely won’t be the first thing that comes to your mind. On the contrary, they are broadly associated with Christmas-y gowns and other winter festive garments but now designers have decided to expand sequin’s outreach and use them to embellish lighter, summery outfits.

We rejoice in this comeback, and here’s why you should too: sequins are feel-good and rejuvenating, they’re perfect to make a statement without putting too much effort in, and basically… glistening outfits will inevitably make you feel like a se-queen!

Sequins are a conspicuous embellishment by definition, so if you give them a shot, our advice is to go all in! This is what designers have been doing for the Spring/Summer 2018 collections, making the most of the playful and fun facet of sequins, almost reminiscing cos-play at times, and mixing this shimmery element to other major trends of the season.

Oscar de la Renta, Dries Van Noten, Christian Dior

The brand Halpern delivered the perfect proof that you can shine like a disco ball without losing your chic with its jaw-dropping asymmetrical dress. Even the most glitter-skeptical among us would be charmed by the gorgeous, architectural mini dress, composed of two parts – one navy and one cobalt blue – both equally shimmering.

Oscar de la Renta as well made heavy use of sequins with its 90s, barbie inspired slip dress. The cut is literally the simplest form of a T-strap midi dress, neither too tight nor too loose, creating just the right movement to highlight the undulating shine of the sequins. Dior’s take on the sparkling silhouette resulted in a half ballerina half punk look, with a red sequined corset playsuit topped with a tulle skirt, accessorized with high laced-up boots, a choker, and a mini cross body bag nonchalantly carried in the model’s hand.

We saw another version of feminine sequins, yet in a far more classic style in Dries Van Noten’s rendering. The designer applied sequins to a very simply cut shift dress. The magic lays in the colors and sequin touches, a wavy degrade of lilac, ivory and golden beige. Some mid-height boots complement the outfit, carved in a Japanese dark floral print which matches surprisingly well the dress. The silhouette is so beautiful and noble it looks like a mermaid escaped from the sea.

Paco Rabanne, Alberta Ferretti, YSL

At Paco Rabanne, sequins are worn in a pretty casual way, but not without a big dose of boldness. The recipe? A sequined tank top, extra high leather boots and a sheer flowing skirt. All the pieces are black and glossy, and the outcome generates a fierce equestrian edge.

Saint Laurent as well favored an all black outfit to experiment with sequins. Anthony Vaccarello delivered an outfit as rock and roll as you could wish: fluffy high boots, tiny shorts, sheer top and a manly sequin-embellished jacket. In a nutshell, Saint Laurent at its finest, dressy, dark, sexy, with incredible volume.

A totally different take on sequins came from Alberta Ferretti. She unlocked new horizons with a look that was athleisure meets sequins. The outfit is composed of a bralette, a loose jacket and slightly sheer loose pants, all coated in highly glimmering light grey sequins. Sweat and shine, baby! Well, maybe the outfit wasn’t literally designed for activewear as it was paired with heeled sandals, but for sure it is a perfect compromise for moments you want to look glamorous without giving up comfort.

If summer sparkle has won our hearts, it’s partly because of its incredible versatility. With an overview of just seven looks, the inspirations were so diverse, ranging from modern barbie doll to equestrian vibes, or that sporty all glistening tracksuit. The point is: sequins are fun, and you can adapt then to all your favorite styles.

Also, we can tell all that glitter will be sticking around next season too, so you can safely stock up on shimmering garments. It’s your time to shine!

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.