#1. Tie-Dye Accents
If you want to embrace the colorful and boho-chic side of the spring 2019, look no further than the tie-dye trend. We saw some designers use tie-dye motifs in an explicit nod to the ‘60s, while others found unique ways to use this fabric dyeing technique to achieve modern effects. Tie-dye was a big hit when it came to the prints we saw for the
spring/ summer 2019 fashion trends, using both bright colors and pastels to play with an old fabric dyeing technique in all kinds of new and interesting ways.
Classic tie-dye T-shirts in blue came courtesy of Collina Strada and Paco Rabanne, while at Proenza Schouler and Tome, we saw tie-dyed denim dresses in the same calm color. R13 went full hippie with trippy rainbow tie-dyed jackets.
At Eckhaus Latta, tie-dyed jean trousers and jackets had a bit of a Rorschach effect. At Collina Strada, a softly tie-dyed bodysuit looked perfect for layering, although the choice to pair it with tie-dyed shorts was questionable to us.
Even at Dior we saw some tie-dye, which was used to tint the gorgeous silk fabric of some of the dresses. We also saw a touch of elegant tie-dye at
Pradaand No.21.
#2. Animal Prints
Animal prints have been having their moment all of winter, showing up in both expected and unexpected places, and in totally new silhouettes. It is lovely to see the animal prints continues into the spring/ summer 2019 print trends, especially with cheetah, zebra, and snakeskin patterns.
Of note is the mix of subtle and wilder takes on animal print at Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty lingerie show that did not question the fact that animal print will forever be sexy.
Dolce & Gabbana is a brand that never shies away from animal prints, and this year was no different, with leopard reigning. At
Burberry, we even saw some Dalmatian print!
Roberto Cavalli went all out, mixing different kinds of animal prints. Some of the other notable animal print offerings came from the runways of Simonetta Ravizza,
Gucci,
Tod’s, and
Tom Ford.
#3. Checks
One of the more austere spring 2019 print trends was checked patterns, especially on jackets and tops, but it also showed up on dresses. Checks featured in a mixed pattern outfit worn by one of the models in the Veronica Beard show.
The most exquisite example comes from
Oscar de la Renta, with a lovely off-the-shoulder checked dress in black and white. Shimmering checks made from glued-on rhinestones decorated a see-through top in the Christian Cowan collection. Checks were one of the spring 2019 patterns mixed in with florals on the
Dries Van Noten runway.
#4. Feeling Wordy
Words are a powerful tool that many designers chose to wield for the spring/ summer 2019 print trends, especially on their more casual designs. While in past fashion seasons slogans would get political, this year they were definitely more on the silly side of things.
The two standouts are the “when did they kill bambi” from Burberry, and Ashley William’s “Retired and loving it” – two cheeky statements that in context, are also nonsensical.
At Dolce & Gabbana, two models walked the runway, matching with one in a suit and the other in a dress both covered in a black and white comic book print, with the word “glamour” showing up repeatedly. Matty Bovan’s spring collection was all about neon punk sensibilities, with the words emblazoned in black over the colorful clothing being hard to read.
The typical logos were also on show, with clothes from brands like House of Holland and Pyer Moss loudly proclaimings their origins.
#5. Florals for Days
If florals hadn’t been part of the spring 2019 print trends I would have rioted. Once the spring season rolls around, outfits covered in florals are the perfect way of celebrating, and with so many different ways of utilizing these vivacious prints, anyone can enjoy.
Listing all of the designers to make use of floral prints would be an unending tasks, but I’ll point out some of the more noteworthy designs. At Simone Rocha, for example, busy floral prints were combined with retro silhouettes and veils for a serious and austere effect.
Soft florals made an appearance as part of Rodarte’s timelessly feminine collection, pairing well with an abundance of tulle and lace. Erdem gave us a more serious spin on florals, using a black pattern to decorate colorful dresses and suits that were also on the conservative side when it came to design.
At Anna Sui, florals were used to decorate all manner of dresses, day suits, skirts, and scarves, primarily made of silk, in loose fits inspired by the grand bazaar in the film Kismet.
#6. Polka Dots
Polka dots are a fun design element that pairs wonderfully with spring garments. We saw both cute, slightly retro takes on polka dots in the spring 2019 print trends and some more modern uses that had dots splashed over items in clever ways.
At Dolce & Gabbana, Andrew Gn, and
Celine, we saw large polka dot prints dotted over feminine silhouettes. There was even a touch of polka dots in the otherwise patternless
Marc Jacobs collection, proving their femininity. Polka dots were more haphazard and less symmetrical at Yohji Yamamoto,
Marni, and Chloe.
We saw oversized polka dots over solid fabrics at Audra, on garments such as suits and loose dresses in wearable summer styles. At Escada, polka dots were used to give a whimsical touch to serious skirt suits, while on the Rejina Pyo and
Carolina Herrera runways, they graced dresses without taking away any of their glamour.
#7. Portraits and Photos
The spring 2019 prints and patterns were definitely iconic on many of the runways, but some of the ones that really stood out were the portraits, figures, and faces printed on some of the garments.
Old-timey cyclists graced the print of tops at Ports 1961. At Gucci, a pop-art style portrait was the main point of interest on sweatshirts, with a more modern take on photo prints also showing up at Toga. At Burberry, skirts were emblazoned with retro black and white prints, while at Simone Rocha, the prints were of painted portraits.
The most meaningful were the portraits of black children and families on tops, tunics, and dresses drawn by Derrick Adams for Pyer Moss. The collection was meant to imagine the African-American experience without the treat of racism, and as a result it was beautiful and touching.
#8. Silk Scarf Prints
There was a distinct bohemian and orientalist theme running through the spring 2019 print trends, with beautiful silk scarf prints being a large contributor.
My favorite example came from Marni, where boldly colored scarf-like fabrics were used to craft skirts and dresses. Models walked the runway of Erika Cavallini in autumn-colored dresses made of a scarf-like material, and decorated in a lovely silk scarf pattern.
At
Loewe, Jonathan Anderson dressed models in dresses that were very explicitly scarf-inspired, with a dress made with a mix of scarf patterns ending with bits of fabrics looking like scarves that had come loose from the stitching, with a fringe and everything.
#9. Butterflies
Butterflies made it to the spring 2019 patterns all over the runways, acting as a perfect complement to all of the floral prints that we saw. They showed up both as prints and appliqués, and set our hearts aflutter.
The Luisa Beccaria runway seemed to flutter with thousands of butterflies that decorated lively pastel dresses, in addition to other seasonal prints including a ton of florals. A very unique take on butterfly patterns came from
Mary Katrantzou’s collection, which featured plastic-y dresses covered in hyper-realistic butterfly prints, giving the feel of a preserved butterfly collection.
#10. Paisley Prints
The paisley pattern is associated with all kinds of exotic, far-off locals. Since wanderlust was a motif running through many of this season’s collection, paisley was a shoo-in for the spring/ summer 2019 pattern trends. The original paisley design comes from Persian artwork, but the name refers to the Scottish town where paisley printed fabrics were produced once the pattern became popular in the West.
At Etro, a colorful paisley print was used to decorate a more sporty surfer swimsuit and jacket, although it also showed up on dresses and other more classic designs. Isabel Marant’s travel-inspired collection brought to mind far-off bazaars and bustling markets with dresses made of paisley patterned fabrics in a bohemian style.
We also saw paisley show up on ‘60s-inspired designs at Peter Pilotto and Chloe.
