A look at winter

Summer is in full force and with it comes a slew of hot trends to usher in our longest and most wardrobe friendly season, which will encompass all styles and tastes oscillating from the demure, to a sophisticated take on 90s grunge, and everything in between. As local designers raise awareness of their brands through Fashion Weeks, and the curating of their brands on digital platforms, they are also successfully plugging in and staying up to date with what is hot on the international fashion barometer. This means that this season we do not have to venture very far to stay in style.

 The trends are right on our doorsteps and have been interpreted with a wearable and irresistibly original flair.This season the sharp shade is both fresh and chic as seen internationally at Givenchy where we saw a rather masculine take on white, with no embellishment or frills.Sleek shirt and trouser combinations were made softer in light, sheer materials at Stella McCartney, and simple, sporty dresses at Chloe French brand Celine followed suit with the minimal trend but also gave us all black looks and used silks and satin for a touch of glamour.

 Bold by Estelle Mantle, who sent out some strong simple silhouettes in sophisticated black, echoed this on the local runway. Fashion is a game of contrasts and on the other end of this minimalist trend, the girl in the crop top and low jeans of past seasons has grown up and embraced the classic sentiment of femininity. As the opening show at the most recent Zimbabwe Fashion Week, House of Kiki M’s utterly feminine take on the trend, appealed, as did Endexus, who presented a ladylike vision in soft pastels and sheer sleeves, complete with the perfect headpiece as an accessory. I can see the look on the most stylish but always appropriate British royal, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.Designer K7 played with graphic black and white for a bold, high-impact print on his runway. Caileigh Colleen’s Zim Fashion Week catwalk was flush with rose bud applications on dreamy dresses, while Czeerat toned it down pairing neutrals with pretty floral print shorts. Caileigh’s collection also included bright shots of colour like fuchsia and lime green that are perfect for the return of summer’s block bright. However, this is not the reawakening of the colour blocking trend!This season colours are not to be mixed and clashed.Rather go monotone with one colour throughout your outfit. The colours this season are yellow, electric blue, turquoise and hot pink, as seen at Gucci.Burberry took a chance by showing block colours in high-techmetallic finishes. Locally, Znzorzi Adbyshined showed his interpretation of how to go metallic using high-gloss materials in easy to wear cuts and shapes.The last trend, prints, is more of a lifestyle than a novelty for us on the continent, but what makes the difference this summer is how designers are playing with these fabrics. At Afrikanus prints were placed on clothing in panels giving a very refreshing, and modern take on using them, and designer Tinashe Madamombe of Azariah describes her playful take on print saying, “Prints are a fun, vibrant and refreshing way to create the unique designs that define my brand.”With so many fun directions to take this summer your wardrobe will be cool and fresh all season long.