S/S 2014 - Materials trends

This season the materials are essential to the newness of designs. Textural exotics and flat matt leather are used in simple designs while fur and feathers and statement gemstones offer a more flamboyant alternative for directional and occasion items.

- Perforated

Punched and eyelet effects were favoured for bringing a deluxe sports look to footwear and accessories as the trend for sports-luxe shows no sign of slowing down. Matt and metallic leathers, and neoprene with all-over punched holes were used to create the impression of mesh on clutch bags, framed handbags and formal footwear. The backpack, which is a key item for the junior’s market this season, looked newest when presented with punched and eyelet effects, updating this preppy item with a fresh, active twist.

- Natural snake

As highlighted in the footwear and accessories trend flash, snakeskin appeared as a dominant material, appearing in its natural glory in neutral beige to grey-white scales. Skins were used all over or as panels on handbags, straps or vamps on footwear, teamed with black to give an elegant and high-fashion finish. Natural snakeskin also brought a new, luxe look to sports items, including the slide sandal and duffle bag.

- Re-coloured snake 

The trend for surreal skins, as seen in the animal-skin prints section, continues as snakeskin emerges in all-over hot brights and bold colour combinations. Bold Krishna orange, jewelled emerald, amethyst and ruby brought a vibrant look to clutch bags, sandals and ankle boots, which will be important for the youth market at a commercial level.

- Woven

The summer favourite of woven raffia reappears for spring/summer 2014, looking refined and sophisticated for the new season. The palette was kept minimalist with black, white, ivory and a hint of metallic favoured for elegant handbags, classic peep-toe sandals, knotted belts and clutch bags. This material would work well within the Nature Girl trend where handcrafted looks come into play, and is the prefect update for eveningwear items bringing, with it a lightweight and textural aesthetic.

- Crocodile leather

Crocodile leather was updated for spring/summer 2014 in bold new colourways, following suit with the surreal snakeskin and animal prints previously seen. The soft pastels at Frankie Morello brought a cool, overtly feminine mood to structured handbags, sitting with the Modern Romance trend, while the bright colour combinations and rich, jewelled tones tied in with the 1970s-inspired looks that infiltrated the runways.

- Suede

Colour-blocking and rich summer brights update classic suede for the new spring/summer season. Colourways of burnt orange, Krishna, tan and lava reds were inspired by the 1970s and used as all-over colours or blocked together for fringed bags and multi-strapped sandals, while the softer shades of faux-nudes, dove and white brought elegance to suede in clutch bags and belts.

- Flat matt leather

Smooth matt leathers are the luxury option for minimalist styles.

- Fur & feather

Winter's fur trend continues, with novelty long-haired styles and saturated colour driving the look for spring/summer 2014.

- Gold metals

Gold toned metals remain an important direction for women's jewellery and accessories.

- Mettalic leather

Silver tones drive metallic leathers this season, with pale, futuristic silver the strongest indication here.

- Patent

Seasonal colour and exotic texture update the patent story for spring/summer 2014.

- Pearls

An essential direction for women's jewellery this season, eaggerated scale and unexpected formations ensure a contemporary look.

- Plastics

This is another key message for the season's super-luxe sports trend.

- Rope

This is another key message for super-luxe sports looks this season.

- Silk and satin

This materials story works best with saturated colour and a focus on texture.

S/S 2014 - Details & Trims

Oversized gemstone and 3D floral embellishments are important new detail trends that have huge commercial appeal this season. Beading, sequin and embroidery decoration are also big news, particularly in monotone applications and as a detail on pared-back silhouettes. As part of the 1970s trend, we see fringe trim return as an interesting detail for leathers goods that is also mirrored in footwear.

- 3D floral embellishment

As spring/summer 2014 looks set to be a flirtatious and feminine season, there is a move towards delicate 3D floral adornments used across footwear and accessories. This is an important update for jewellery as chain necklaces, cuffs and oversized rings are decorated with large floral embellishments, which will be key for the youth market and perfect to update best-sellers. Clutch bags, eyewear and footwear received the floral treatment with delicate fabric florals seen at Burberry, while elsewhere plastic, raffia and clustered beads were used to create floral arrangements on ankle-strapped sandals and sunglasses frames.

- Heavy embellishment

Footwear and accessories are highly decorated for next season with paste stones, crystals and beading acting as important means of embellishment. The scale of the stones is central to the look, together with their generous application and vibrant colour, as stones are clustered together for an all-over textured look or used more sparely but in a contrasting colour to the fabric for stand-out looks.

- Embroidery

Several designers used embroidery in place of traditional print this season, using florals or playful motifs for colourful all-over treatments or as a placement on tonal grounds. This was an effective way of bringing a decorative embellished looks to simple silhouettes and brought pretty folkloric influences into play, especially when teamed with tassels and ribbons.

- Fringing

Fringing has been another constant across apparel this season, and so it’s no surprise to see it filter down to footwear and accessories. Designers went overboard for fringed trims or full-on layered fringing as an update to simple clutch bags and summer sandals. Frayed edging at Chloé offered a simple and delicate approach to fringing, while long python leathers at Gucci and silk threads at Proenza Schouler showed how this technique can be used to the maximum effect.

- Tassels

Oversized tassels were another take on fringing as designers used them as adornments to bags, belts and jewellery. Long tassels were attached by clasps to handles and straps and came in coordinated colours and fabrics, or were used to make a statement in bold contrasting brights. This is the perfect way to add a new twist to a favoured silhouette, and could even be sold as a separate accessory at a commercial level.

- Laser-cut

Laser-cutting techniques maintained the pretty and delicate look for the season as sandals and bags were punched to create floral, lace and perforated shapes. Scalloped edging enhanced the flirtatious, feminine traits for the season with white and blush leathers sandals looking best for this application. Shoppers were decorated with grid or tribal-influenced patterns, updating favoured silhouettes and injecting fresh energy into next summer.

- Cleated sole

As the sports-luxe trend continues to reign across the catwalks, the cleated and razortooth sole will remain a key detail for footwear. This detail looks freshest when used on feminine silhouettes, creating sports-summer hybrids including the town shoe, flatforms and lace-up sandals. These staples are given a heavier sole as pronounced treads create a chunky appearance, with white or hot bright rubber soles being favoured.

- Chain strap

Chain remains a key strap style for smaller bag styles - mixed gauges of chain and colourful, interwoven ropes update the look.

- Handicraft

A naive, crafted feel emerges as an important direction for bags this season. Techniques range from tie-dye to embroidery.

- Metal bag clasps

An important closure style for ladylike, structured bags. Animal motifs emerge as a directional message here.

- Plated edges

Edges and corners become a focal point for feature hardware, with polished silver driving materials here.

- Studs and eyelets

Both flat and covered studs are key to updating this perennial decorative detail.

S/S 2014 - Print & Pattern

- Geo grid

After the commercial success of last season’s checks and plaids within the Punk-Grunge trend, geometric grids emerge as the key update to this print and pattern story for the new season. This trend sees a mixture of precise, measured lines, with naive, hand-drawn grids at Kate Spade offering a nice twist for the youth market customer. A black and white palette truly dominated this print story, sitting nicely with the continuing super-luxe sports looks of this season.

-  Super stripes

Bold stripes made an impact on the runways this season, emerging as a fresh new look across women's footwear and accessories items. Stripes were striking in bold two-tone combinations with all-over applications dominating for bags, while placement stripes on heels or soles led the way for footwear, which will be essential at a commercial level. Black and white combinations, which have been important for apparel in recent season, has now moved on to the footwear and accessories areas of the market, while clashing brights and matt and shine contrasts – as seen at Mulberry – show a new direction for this print.

- Florals

Florals were one of the strongest print and pattern trends on the runways this season, and look set to be one of the most commercial print trends across footwear and accessories next season. An English country garden aesthetic was favoured, with all-over ditsy florals in a pretty pastel palette or springtime brights, with monochromatic silhouette prints adding a pared-back option for this look.

- Surreal jungle

The ubiquitous animal-skin prints continues to be a main player, moving away from the printed ponyskin and natural hues seen in previous seasons and moving towards more surreal colourways and bold prints. Big-cat spots and stripes lead print pattern, with patterns clashing together and unrealistic brights of tropical leaf tones, aqua blues and orange peel emphasising the trend's surreal nature.

- Retro mid-goes

1960s-inspired retro geometics in mid-sized grid formations look sophisticated for spring/summer 2014. Compose regular patterns using circles and squares.

- Angular graphics

Angular geometric compositions in single colours have a modern, graphic simplicity and bold feel that's perfect for sophisticated looks.

- Pop culture

Inspired by tribal geometric patterns, this bright pop-print story brings a lively attitude and energy to the summer season

- Graphic duo tone

A graphic interpretation of tribal-inspired prints sees oversized geometric patterns used in experimental duo-tone colours.

- Zebra

Monochromatic zebra stripes have a bold, graphic feel. Experiment with symmetry for a kaleidoscopic look.

- Leopard

Leopard spots continue as a perennial favourite. Use natural, traditional colours and almost-abstract composition for a classic feel.

- Sketchbook illustration

Sketchbook-illustration styles focus on hand-drawn doodles, scribbles, text, figurative characters and florals for playful expression. Experiment with black and white versions for a graphic modernity.

- One-word statements

Single-word statements with uncomplicated, to-the-point messages create more impact than ever. These simple type tees are perfect for the casual placement market.

- Varsity style

Varsity placements had a playful look this season. A new direction saw them combined with all-over patterns, either with pattern infills or by overlaying varsity numbers onto abstract patterned grounds, as seen at Fyodor Golan.

- Portraits

Updating the traditional photo-portrait tees are artistically illustrated styles. Hand-drawn faces and large, oversized placements have graphic impact.

- Brand image

Graphic brand logos with a playful feel stood out this season. Use licensed graphics with various application techniques for a brand image statement that is simple yet bold.

- Painterly art house

Graffiti, expressive brush strokes and painterly mark-making make for dynamic prints inspired by the art world. Graffiti-esque prints capture the eye, so look to use monochromatic colours and bold, large-scale compositions.

S/S 2014 - Colours

Designers take a modern twist on the traditional for spring 2014 by pairing soft pastels with vivid brights to create a colorful equilibrium. Inspired by a mixture of blooming flowers, travels abroad and strong, confident women, designers use color to refresh, revive and defy conventional wisdom.

"This season, consumers are looking for a state of thoughtful, emotional and artistic equilibrium," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. "While this need for stability is reflected in the composition of the palette, the inherent versatility of the individual colors allows for experimentation with new looks and color combinations."

Although bright tones such as solar yellow and orange peel bring a fresh zingy update to accessories collections, the new palette of neutrals is an important development for colour. Shades such as dusty nude, pale pastels and sand dollar are a contemporary option for staple accessories items.

- Pastel pales

Candy-coloured sugar pastels emerged as a key colour story, bringing a softly feminine elegance to footwear and accessories, sitting perfectly within our Modern Romance trend for the season and offering a new look to many staple silhouettes. Ice-cream sundae colours were worked alone in fashion shades of marshmallow pink, forget-me-not blue, soft parma violet, pistachio and sugared lemon.

- Bubblegum

Pink dominated the runways this season, appearing in every shade from soft rose through to sugared candy and bright bubblegum. It was these bubblegum shades that look newest, especially for footwear and accessories, bringing a youthful appearance to luxe croc-skins and high-shine leathers. This will be a key colourway for the youth market, and sits nicely with the Modern Romance looks for next season.

- Solar

Solid brights appeared as an important colour message for bags as sunshine brights and almost-neon tones light up bags of all sizes. For footwear, solar yellows were used all over or pared down with black or white for a striking combination as colour-blocking continues to be a key message for the season. Within jewellery, oversized gemstones look new again when worked in this vibrant shade for statement necklaces, oversized rings and earrings

- Krishna

Expect to see bright shades of tangerine orange, carrot and saffron become standout colourways for next season as they infiltrated footwear and accessories on the catwalks. Hot orange was used alone as a block colour or teamed with saturated black for ankle straps and trims, creating a bold, Modernist look. At Emilia Wickstead, Krishna hues were teamed with fuchsia, showing the effectiveness of clashing hot brights together – perfect for the youth market customer. 

- Jewel tones

An intense level of brights emerged on the runways as saturated jewel tones were used as block colours for evening and partywear-appropriate footwear and accessories, coming in rich sapphire blue, amethyst and emerald worked in lustrous fabrics including satin and metallic leathers for added depth and high-glamour finishes.

- Colour-blocking

A continuing favourite within footwear and accessories, colour-blocking is kept bold and bright for the new spring/summer season as intense, hot brights were worked together, looking bold at Prada and Sacai. Alternatively, key colourways were worked back with bright white, sitting nicely with the sports-luxe mood for next summer.

- New neutrals

In complete contrast to the hot brights that are impacting upon next season, a move towards new naturals offers light relief and a calmer aesthetic across footwear and accessories. Soft pastels, cosmetic pales, alabaster and ivory soften the bright summer palette, which will work well across both the Modern Romance and Super Sports Luxe trends.

- White

White was a constant colour trend in all four cities, showing the continuation of super-luxe sports looks while bringing a streamlined and minimalist appearance to seasonal key items and proving that less really is more. Watch out for gold metallic hardwear for clasps and closures, which will give all-white accessories and footwear a high-fashion appearance even at a commercial level.

- Metallic silver

While metallic finishes have been a mainstay on the runway for a number of seasons, it was all about silver for spring/summer 2014, bringing a fun, feminine look to footwear and accessories. The look was lustrous with high-shine leathers, satins and iridescent finishes used all over for high-held sandals, masculine brogues and clutch bags, which will be perfect to add a metallic pop to everyday apparel looks.

- Black & White

Black and white were worked as a simple monochrome story, with graphic blocks of colour used across footwear and accessories creating striking looks that work well within our Super Luxe Sports trend story. This could also be used for everyday commercial items, updating favoured footwear and accessory silhouettes. Black and white was also a main player within prints, appearing in bold stripes, checkerboards and geographic grids.

- Grass green

Super-bright grass green works as an accent in accessories, as well as a standalone shade for smaller items and jewellery.

- Aqua

Cool aqua blue is a refreshing colour for sporty and contemporary-luxe accessories.

- Metallic gold

Green- and red-cast gold shades create an antiquated mood for accessories this season.