Pastel colors are definitely not a new idea or a particularly groundbreaking trend at that, but for spring/summer 2017 London designers are putting a spin on the traditionally super-feminine and ultra sweet color palette. Collections that can be considered staples of London Fashion Week such as Victoria by Victoria Beckham, Christopher Kane, Anya Hindmarch, Simone Rocha, and J.W. Anderson all showed versions of pieces in classic pastel tones of largely pale pink, blue, lavender, green, and yellow, but this time around, they took a darker, and much edgier twist. On the Victoria, Victoria Beckham runway, a crisp shirt and shorts set was shown in pastel yellow, but paired with dark denim slides, and a bold graphic print displayed different areas of California, from which the collection was inspired. Christopher Kane wanted the girls walking his runway to look edgy and sexy for his collection entitled ‘Make Do and Mend. He showed a pale pink dress with intense black lace detailing, and paired it with bold embellished leather gloves and shoes.
Arguably the most notable is Anya Hindmarch, who showcased her always creative collection highlighting handbags on a circular runway inspired by math and geometric shapes. A solid portion of the collection was done in pastel shades, but each piece was unsurprisingly unique and complimented by naturally, the quirkiest of accessories. Coats were a major strong suit for Hindmarch, a highlight being a lavender oversized coat embellished with shape detailing and shown with a pale green body suit underneath, coupled with angular, pointed heels. On the J.W. Anderson runway, long, streamlined silhouettes in blue and pink ombré pastels were shown layered with slashed, puff-sleeved blouses and chunky leather shoes.
Click through the slideshow above to see our top picks, showcasing this classic spring trend with a new edgy twist.