Fresh Take

Firstly, look to fail-safe springtime materials, like lightweight denim, cotton-poplin and soft jersey; all fabrics we’ve become increasingly familiar with over the past year. Next, consider effortless, androgynous silhouettes that bring insouciant chic to the new season. Then opt for serotonin-boosting hues, rich colors that will complement your lunch with a friend and paintbox brights for bringing a smile not just to you, but a passer-by, too.

For spring, brands including Gucci and Paco Rabanne have taken solace in eras of free-spirited style, like the sun-bleached bohemia of the ’60s and ’70s. Gucci’s runway jeans have a faded vintage appeal with an elongating high-rise and flared fit – there’s something mood-boosting about their unrestrained silhouette. The Florentine label’s knitwear and sportswear are also uplifting, imagined in sleeveless retro shapes and slouchy hooded styles; comforting in soft mohair and organic cotton-jersey, yet instantly covetable. The tie-dye pieces in Paco Rabanne’s Lose Yourself capsule collection also hint at high-end zen. Bucket hats, T-shirts and hoodies appear immediately escapist, their blue and white tones evoking sunbeams reflected in a swimming pool.

Another sartorial learning we’ve taken from lockdown is that a slowed-down pace allows us time to pay attention to details, which we were previously too busy to see. Use spring as a time to show off these style findings and showcase pared-back, perfectly finished pieces that will never lose their allure. The Row’s French terry-cloth polo top is timeless and sumptuous in an ivory hue, Loewe’s ribbed-knit sweater has voluminous sleeves and a luxuriously tactile debossed leather detail, while Dion Lee’s cotton sweatshirt has a pleasingly undulating hem.

One label bringing a boost to so-called ‘basics’ is Wardrobe.NYC. Launched in 2017, the brand is based on the concept of foundational wardrobe pieces that can transcend seasons and occasions. These include easy-to-layer ribbed tank tops, zip-detail stretch leggings and double-breasted coats. “Our customers are looking for quality and a great fit. They understand that investing in pieces that can be worn in a multitude of ways, time and time again, is the modern way of shopping and dressing,” says the brand’s Australian co-founder and stylist, Christine Centenera.

Just as barriers between work, school and the home have shifted, the codes and categories of our wardrobes have also become declassified. MM6 Maison Margiela’s executive pinstripe shirting can be paired with Sporty & Rich’s retro cotton-jersey track pants, and in an aristocratic-meets-active ensemble, Fendi + K-Way’s technical hooded jacket scores smart points when worn under Blazé Milano’s double-breasted houndstooth blazer.

Milanese label Blazé Milano celebrates the enduring elegance of the tailored blazer and the female style icons who have championed it, including Bianca Jagger, Lauren Bacall and Diana, Princess of Wales. “Diana’s sporty looks have been very inspiring in recent times,” say the brand’s founders Corrada Rodriguez D’Acri, Delfina Pinardi and Maria Sole Torlonia of the style icon’s famed ’80s ensembles. “For spring, keep Diana’s post-workout look in mind: a blazer, an old-school sweatshirt, blue jeans, a baseball cap.”

The megawatt mood of the ’80s was also a spirit that inspired designers for spring. Take Isabel Marant, who paired shiny track pants with asymmetric party tops in punchy prismatic hues. The French brand’s mauve retro logo sweater has a sporty-sleek synergy. “I wanted this explosion of energy, of colors, of movement. I had in mind this girl who is liberating herself,” Marant explains. “The collection translates into silhouettes that reflect a need for freedom, with a display of fuchsia, red, blue and silver.” Elsewhere, Balenciaga favored oversized shell-suit jackets with contrasting yoke details. There’s a borrowed-from-your-boyfriend mood to the silhouette, which semaphores self-assurance and poise.

An effortless yet utterly luxurious approach to dressing also calls for a similar approach to skincare. A luminous complexion shows a shift in gear towards stress-free, sophisticated style. One beauty specialist who knows good glow is German dermatologist Dr. Barbara Sturm. “Our skin is always in flux – stress, sleep, nutrition, exposure to environmental irritants including HEV [high-energy visible] light from digital screens, and diet have an enormous effect on the daily health and appearance of our skin,” she explains. “How your skin is now, and how it will be when lockdown ends, depends a great deal on the prevention and protection measures you take now to address your skin health.”

For springtime shine, Sturm recommends a range of nourishing and detoxifying products. “My Glow Drops are a healthy makeup alternative – a skin-perfecting serum containing a blend of botanical extracts to transform tired, dull skin into glowing skin,” she says. “The Good C Vitamin C serum also provides anti-oxidative protection, improves skin tone, boosts hydration and adds luminosity.”

There is the saying, ‘Out with the old and in with the new’. But moving into this spring awakening actually requires us to cherish the lessons of the recent past. This season, confidence comes in comfort, subtle luxury and an exuberant sense of color. If the Roaring Twenties of a century ago are synonymous with a deafening din of drama, dazzle and flapper-era flamboyance, 2021 has a softer and more serene sense of sound. Forget your fashion funk and embrace your style slam dunk.

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