As it's now been a few months since my last blog post (May last year!!), now seemed like a great time to start blogging again. I'm constantly researching new colours, prints, design ideas...the list goes on. So I'm going to try and share as much of my inspiration as I can and hopefully inspire some of you!
To warm up I've put together a selection of my favourite colours and prints from the recent AW19 catwalks. This is something I love doing each season to follow how both print and colour are moving on and staying fresh.
This colour combination is everywhere at the moment and I now feel hugely inspired to design everything in a shade of red and pink! Every variation of tone seems to work well together here, from pastels to vibrant neons.
Any shade goes in the blue realm too. It was hard to find a collection that didn't feature a shade of blue in AW19, which I am not complaining about at all! My particular soft spots are the cobalt blues of Peter Pilotto and Max Mara.
The catwalks were truly full of colour for the AW19 season. Mixing bold block colours seemed to be another trend not to miss. From tonal shades of orange, green and burgundy to bold clashes of peach and grass green a la Versace or more muted mixes of aubergine and rust from Kate Spade.
Moving on to my all time favourite...florals! Finding unique ways of designing a floral print is always tricky. However, this season it seemed to be all about the fabric. Take Givenchy's pleats, Alexa Chung's mesh overlay, or the draping and flowing fabric from Etro and Giambattista Valli. I personally love the flow and placement of the Givenchy prints, creeping over the shoulder or around the hip and waist, drawing your eye in to the details of both the fabric and the print.
Sticking with florals and the theme of colour. Bright, oversized and busy florals were seen a lot this season too. Richard Quinn and Peter Pilotto are always favourites of mine, with busy painterly garden flowers. Whilst Alice Archer and Junya Watanabe have both created a beautiful bold yet minimal feel with their placement prints.
Being a firm lover of colour and pattern, the mixing of prints, panelling and quilting have always caught my eye. Coach 1941 wins in the slightly wacky category but the blend of vibrant colours and black accents allow the pieces to flow. Stella McCartney's kimono inspired pieces again feature black trims, giving panelling a modern and strong feel.
I know I've said this a few times now but Dior really honestly is my all time favourite. The last few seasons have just been stunning. With no exception for AW19. Utilising the houses iconic toile de jouy print in blouses, skirts and jackets Dior owns the "illustrative" trend this season. Head to their Youtube channel to see how the prints are designed and the pieces are made. It. Is. Beautiful. (Yes, I'm a huge Dior fan).
And Finally geometrics. Quite honestly a print style I usually over look...however, there's a lot of really great use of colour for AW19. From monochrome at Haider Ackermann, muted vintage vibes at Isabel Marant and Missoni's iconic colourful palette.
I hope this blog has given a little inspiration whether you are a fellow creative or just a colour/print/fashion lover!