Sarah Rutson, vice president of global buying at Net-a-porter, was recently in Dubai to give an intimate presentation on key trends for next season. A crowd of about 30 women gathered at Jean Georges at Four Seasons Resort to meet Rutson and hear her speak about each of her top 11 spring/summer 2016 trends. While some ladies tuned out to ponder hashtags and captions, keen only on capturing photos of Rutson for their Instagram feeds and Snapchat stories (rather rude if you ask us!), we were all ears, and took detailed notes:
1. The fashion eccentric — a return to maximalism, driven by the Gucci fashion house, which incorporates an abundance of colours, mixed prints and pyjama-style dressing. Key brands include Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci and Jonathan Saunders.
2. The romantic heroine — the embodiment of a contemporary Jane Austen character, robed in lots of lace, ruffles and maxi lengths with a hint of luxe bohemian. Key brands include Alexander McQueen, Erdem and Etro.
3. Shoulder focus — also known as "the cold shoulder," a celebration of a rather ageless part of a woman's body, shown off in cutouts and asymmetry. Key brands include Chloé, The Row and Proenza Schouler.
4. Lingerie dressing — an inclination to adopt lingerie-inspired details like lace, camisoles and slip dresses in everyday attire. Key brands include Givenchy, Erdem and Chloé.
5. Ruffles — an exaggeration of an age-old design element, worn to exude soft romance or a bold, architectural appearance. Key brands include Zimmermann, Gucci and Erdem.
6. The new fluidity — a tendency toward tonal colours, longer hemlines and softer shapes to show a new and empowered (though certainly not matronly) form of femininity, where flat shoes are totally acceptable. Key brandsinclude Gucci, Theory and Proenza Schouler.
7. Visual optimism — a dynamic movement that involves an onslaught of bright, vivid colours, like Rutson's favourite, sunshine yellow. Key brands include Marni, March11 and Michael Kors.
8. Shine on — a burst of 80s-inspired summer shimmer and metallic sheen, with silver accessories being a prime micro-trend. Key brands include Tibi, Simone Rocha and Maison Martin Margiela.
9. 90s attitudes — a combination of three themes: modern minimalism, laid-back street style and grown-up grunge. Key brands include The Row, Loewe and Christopher Kane.
10. The shirt reworked — an innovative update to the basic shirt, which Rutson declares is the workforce of the modern woman's wardrobe. Key brands include Joseph, 3.1 Phillip Lim and J.W. Anderson.
11. Return to natural — a utilisation of common white cottons, traditional weaving techniques and earthy elements. Key brands include Junya Watanabe, Jonathan Simkhai and Isabel Marant.
Use Rutson's style recommendations to start prepping for next season's exciting trends, and keep checking Net-a-porter for updates and new pieces. We've already got our eyes on the embroidered vyshyvanka dresses from new to Net-a-porter brand, March11.
