The joys of spring/summer 2018
Hello, good-mood clothes! We’re full of the joys of spring – not only is our favourite season of the year just around the corner, but also the spring/summer 2018 collections are just so much fun. From crayon-bright stripes and chalky pastels, to garden-party dresses and summer sequins – here’s our pick of the season’s best trends, pieces and labels that are putting smiles on our faces and the ‘feel good’ back into fashion.
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Colour inside the lines
Move over understated Breton: this season’s stripes are like a big box of giant crayons – chunky, colourful and a whole lot of fun. Whether you opt for the primary-hued, diagonal lines at Philosophy, or the glittery rainbow stripes at Mary Katrantzou, one thing’s for sure: nobody will forget your outfit in a hurry.
Roksanda - dress / Marni - sandals (available in store at Selfridges London)
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Sundae girl
Like a breath of fresh, blossom-scented air, spring/summer 2018’s gelato hues provide the perfect antidote to the dreariness of winter. How to wear them this season? It’s all about mixing and matching your shades – we love powder blue with parma violet, or pistachio green with lemon sorbet, à la a delectable double-scoop ice cream. Yum.
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English garden party
OK, so it’s currently February and probably raining (are we right?), but in a few weeks’ time the daffodils will be in bloom and a season full of social engagements will be in your diary. Get a sartorial head start with this season’s crop of garden party-worthy dresses – asymmetric and elegant at Emilia Wickstead, featherweight and frothy at Roberts-Wood, and embroidered with roses at Rosie Assoulin. And if it’s still raining, we’ll be taking shelter under our Off-White giant, wide-brimmed hat.
Ganni – jumper and skirt / Gucci - shoes
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Exclusively yours
If there’s a label that perfectly embodies fashion’s joyful mood right now, it’s Ganni – beloved for its playful, laid-back approach to dressing. This season, the Danish brand has created a capsule collection exclusively for Selfridges (hooray!) – expect photographic tees inspired by the brand’s home city of Copenhagen, cool chintzy florals and a particularly irresistible red-and-white-striped edition of the brand’s signature mohair jumper. Snap it up while you still can.
Stella McCartney – top and trousers / Adidas – trainers
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And relax
Some days, you just want to throw on something that’s as comfortable as your favourite pyjamas but totally acceptable to wear – nay, admired – IRL (that’s In Real Life, by the way). This season, Stella McCartney, Jil Sander and new-to-Selfridges label Arje navigate this sweet spot of style, comfort and versatility with sophisticated ease. Flowing wide-leg trousers, silk shirts, cashmere co-ords: this is feel-good fashion at its most literal – i.e. clothes that simply feel good to wear. Amen to that.
Loewe – striped duster coat / J.W. Anderson – dress and skirt (worn underneath) / Adidas – trainers / Simon Miller - bag
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Trench revolution
A shining star of spring/summer 2018 is the humble trench coat, which has been ceremoniously souped-up by Gucci (with appliqué cats, naturally), Burberry (where the signature check has been updated with neon pink and a high-gloss finish) and Loewe (muted deckchair stripes + an oversized fit = the dream transeasonal coat). Navigating spring’s unpredictable climes never looked so good.
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Workwear with flair
Our pioneering founder, Harry Gordon Selfridge, once famously declared: “There’s no fun like work… wear.” OK, so we may have added the final word there, but you get the gist. Designers had a lot of fun playing with traditional tailoring this season – at Gucci, Alessandro Michele added flamboyant knee-high ruffles to a pair of suit trousers, while at Monse, impeccably cut pieces in classic Prince of Wales check were spliced and diced to ingenious effect. We think Mr Selfridge would have very much approved.
Off-White – cropped biker jacket, knitted dress (both coming soon) and lace top
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Smart casual
Off-White founder and doyen of luxury streetwear Virgil Abloh has set a new, more polished tone for the season. “Spring/summer 18 takes on a much more refined streetwear aesthetic – as Off-White’s customer grows up, so does its collections,” says our Designer Studio buyer Sev Halit. “The cropped suede biker and versatile knitted dresses are perfect for Abloh’s fans who are ready to trade up their graphic sweatshirts for something more elevated.”
Attico - dress (coming soon)
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All that shimmers
Summer sequins. Not two words you’d normally put together, but spring/summer 2018’s catwalks proved that sparkle is for life, not just for Christmas. Attico’s obsession-worthy rainbow dress or Mary Katranzou’s glittery sweatshirts with matching skirts make head-to-toe sequins look easy – no Instagram sparkle filter required. Or for a touch of everyday shimmer, look to Oscar de la Renta’s bejewelled t-shirts and Dries van Noten’s embellished bombers.
