Fashion notes: Don’t be scared by a silky sheen

Marjan Jonkman walks the runway during the Atelier Versace Haute Couture Fall / Winter 2016-2017 show. Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images

Channel your inner mermaid and opt for iridescent pastel hues, coated with a luxe, shimmery finish. Soft lilacs, romantic salmon-pinks and powdery sky-blues are the colours to keep your eyes peeled for in stores right now, particularly in eye-catching, decadent textures.

At Atelier Versace’s autumn/winter haute couture runway show in Paris, sequins were combined with satin, sheer panels, fluid, mermaid-like draping and retro influences such as oversized waist belts, all in a whimsically pastel colour palette. You will rarely find positive mentions of ­Versace in this column, so cherish the moment – but the fashion house achieved precisely the fairy-tale-on-­steroids look that I’m currently enamoured with. Even Queen Rania, who may not be emblematic of Atelier ­Versace’s typical clientele, recently wore a silky red dress with powder-blue accents from the collection.

There’s been an onslaught of neoprenes, jerseys and satiny fabrics on catwalks lately. It’s a revival of, for lack of a better description, cheap materials. With this trend, the aim isn’t to look like a million dirhams – but at the same time, you don’t want to come off like you’re trying to look expensive. It’s a manner of dressing that started off as a rather grass-roots movement, emulative of ­Japanese Harajuku fashion. But avoid incorporating wholeheartedly the street-style trend into your wardrobe – pick and choose the elements that appeal to you and try to give the ditsy punk-goth-meets-­romantic pastel mermaid style a polished finish.

Look for printed brocades in soft, sorbet hues, and seasonal staples such as bomber jackets and slip dresses in mellifluous, muted shades. Couple these with skinny velvet chokers, platform boots and some dark lippy shades, and you’re all set to glide into autumn with a new toned-down rock ’n’ roll approach to femininity.