We can't remember a season in which fashion has wrapped its arms around color like it has for Spring—and it wasn't just the designers you'd expect doing the hugging. Haider Ackermann tried teal and electric blue on for size; Aquilano.Rimondi combined poppy citrus hues; and Mr. Understatement himself, Raf Simons, served up a Crayola cocktail at Jil Sander. The best part? As Simons so cleverly demonstrated, brights look great with black.
Where's the news in lace for Spring, you ask? In its sheer diversity. Dolce & Gabbana dug through a bride's trousseau for some needlepoint inspiration, and there was likewise a lot of romance in Ralph Lauren's return to the Old West. On the flip side, Christopher Kane balanced his feminine silhouettes with in-your-face, neon colors. And Balenciaga's shirts—a mash-up of sequins and mismatched, plasticized lace—channeled street punks.
To-the-knee? Sure. Ankle-length? OK. Mid-calf? Huh? Better get used to it—it's time to invest in a new hemline. With the return of ladylike dressing, three-quarter-length skirts are on the rise everywhere from Calvin Klein Collection and Narciso Rodriguez to Rodarte and Roland Mouret. Versus and Prabal Gurung showed them second-skin tight, but Hannah MacGibbon gave Chloé's a lift with pleats, sheer fabrics, and easy-on-the-feet ballet flats.
The seventies ruled the Spring runways—the Yves Saint Laurent seventies, to be exact. "YSL, you know, my usual fave," Marc Jacobs said backstage, name-checking the inspiration for his gleeful, glam ode to the decade. With last year's hugely successful Saint Laurent retrospective at Paris' Musée des Beaux-Arts, Jacobs wasn't the only one riffing on peasant blouses, safari jackets, vibrant colors, and other elements of the master's oeuvre. See Gucci, Emilio Pucci, and, mais bien sûr, Stefano Pilati's own tribute to the house that Yves built.
Printed sheaths not for you? Wouldn't be seen dead in a midi? Don't worry, tailored trousers were also a focus this season. At Derek Lam, a high waist and relaxed leg were in step with the seventies trend, while at Michael Kors, it was all about borrowing from the boys. And for those of you who can't make up your minds, the dress-over-pants look seen at Richard Chai Love promises to remain a big trend through Fall.
You know it's a bona fide trend when even the princes of darkness cross over to the light side. Alexander Wang uncharacteristically offered zero black, opting to show an optimistic collection in which just a few soft pastels shared the runway with the white stuff. And Rick Owens joined in on the season's clean sweep, too, sending out alien angels in pearly-toned tunics with floor-grazing skirts. Other designers feeling all white now included Ann Demeulemeester, Celine, and newcomer Pedro Lourenço.
Designers went bananas (literally, in Miuccia Prada's case) for quirky patterns this season. Flora, fauna, fruita—you name it, they printed it. Leopard, python, and polka dots ruled at Givenchy, Roberto Cavalli, and Moschino. Too tame for you? Models wore houses on their backs at Mary Katrantzou; and Marco Zanini put Françoise Sagan quotes and paintings by an obscure Swedish artist on his gowns at Rochas.
