New York fashion week is just around the corner, and among the many luxurious designers’ presentations and extravagant fashion events, there is one particularly special collection and collaboration that I’m looking forward to.
On Monday, designers Marina and Lilly Chan will present a capsule collection of whimsical outfits inspired by nature called ‘Floral Print Maxi-Dresses’. The collection will be made up of exquisite silk and mesh dresses printed with realistic blooming flowers and leaves in a rainbow of hues.
The designer duo are known for their unique, vibrant and beautiful floral prints, and they’ve applied their artistic lens to create a luxurious selection of women’s clothing.
The collection will be available for purchase at the Chan Lily store in Soho, Manhattan, New York City, from February 7th.
From ‘Broke to Beautiful’
In 2016, luxury fashion brand Burberry revealed that it had been losing money for the last five years. It was valued at over £12 billion and, at the time, was considered one of the most valuable and luxurious brands globally.
However, due to a decline in the number of customers paying for luxury goods and the continued rise of digital commerce, the fashion brand is working to become more sustainable and profitable.
Burberry’s chief executive officer, Marco Bruno Sarto, said at the time: “We are delighted to showcase this stunning floral print fabric that embodies both our vision and creativity.
“We have introduced a ‘new and improved’ Burberry into the world: bold, confident and vibrant, like our beloved floral symbol. ”
Last year, Burberry launched a major makeover of its stores, adding luxury fixtures, bespoke bags and limited editions to help drive revenues and growth.
It also signed a deal with TikTok to incorporate its user-friendly platform into its global marketing and communications.
Now, with the help of Marina and Lily Chan, Burberry’s floral print vision reaches a whole new audience.
Luxurious Floral Prints
Floral prints have been in high demand this year, with fashion houses ranging from Burberry to Victoria Beckham printing in rich and sophisticated hues.
Victoria Beckham used the print on a number of outfits for both men and women, and I’ve been particularly obsessed with her choice of red, white and blue blooms for her patriotic ‘English Rose’ collection.
Meanwhile, Burberry added a feminine touch by using floral prints on dresses and swimsuits for women, as well as a selection of luxurious scarves, handbags and shoes for women and men.
And, last but not least, Japanese fashion house Mikimoto used maroon, white and yellow floral prints to enliven its cosplay collection for San Diego Comic Con.
The Growing Popularity Of Floral Prints
Floral prints have been around for centuries and were originally associated with spring and summer (hence the name ‘Floral Print Maxi-Dresses’).
But, in recent years, we’ve seen a huge surge in their popularity, especially in the winter.
According to the Floral Print Association, a trade group, the US dollar value of the floral print market was £4.2 billion in 2016 and is expected to hit £6.3 billion by 2027.
The value of the UK floral print market was £1.4 billion in 2016, and is projected to rise to £2.3 billion by 2027.
So, if you’re a fashion house looking to inject some life into your collections during the cold winter months, consider using floral prints.
Why Are People Seeing Red, White And Blue Again?
One of the most sought-after prints of the last year has been the triple blue stripe on a red base.
Thanks to Pittsburgh steeler Derek Sherrod who, last year, wore a stripey sweatshirt with a steeler jacket to help inspire fashion house Mikimoto’s triple blue print collection.
The combination of Sherrod’s steeler gear with Mikimoto’s triple blue prints made for quite the fashion combo that was highly coveted by fans and collectors.
Other fashion houses, such as Burberry and Victoria Beckham, chose to play up the numbers 13 and 32 on their collections’ red, white and blue stripe sub-theme.
The reason why these collections are so popular is actually quite simple: red, white and blue are the national colors of the United States of America and their combination is a welcoming message of friendship to all communities and countries.
The colors have a long and storied history of forming bonding experiences between people from different places and backgrounds.
Indeed, during the American Revolution, the colors were used to form a unified front against Great Britain, who colonized the Americas. From that point forward, the three colors have become a symbol of unity, independence and bordering on a kind of biculturalism.
Why All The Buzz About Mermaids?
If you’ve been out of the loop for the last couple of years, you may not know that 2019 was the 400th anniversary of the discovery of Mermaids Island, in the South China Sea, by sailor Cheng Ho.
Since then, locals and visitors to the island have been catching the Mermaids bug and making it their home. This summer, a fantastic array of attire for both men and women will be inspired by the beautiful and mysterious ‘Nature’s Basking Place’.
The charm of the designers is in their use of traditional Chinese textiles in contemporary fashion and their willingness to explore collaboration and alternative textiles.
Traditional Chinese clothes, most notably the pai ju and han dam (polo shirt and skirted dresses), are often made using materials such as silk, cashmere and wool that were not available in the Western world for decades.
According to Sutora, an authoritative source on Asian clothes, during the 19th century, the westernization of Asia and the discovery of new textiles led to a “clothing revolution” that saw traditional Chinese garb become more elegant and attractive.