Prints, Porcelain, Precision !

Saturday, 11 January 2014 10:53 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

  • Charlene Thuring outlines trends for 2014
Charlene Thuring, better known as The Couturist, is one of Sri Lanka’s hottest new designers. Her swimwear collection which showed at Colombo Fashion Week’s Resort Wear edition late last year was certainly impressive. Armed with both local and international expertise, Charlene has an eclectic yet tasteful sense of style, which makes her truly unique, and a pleasurable designer to work with. The Weekend FT caught up with her, for her thoughts on the trends and styles that 2014 has in store for us. Q: What are your thoughts on the trends for 2014? Charlene ThuringA: It’s toning down into some sort of definition as opposed to the last few trends of absolute mixed match elements. It was almost ‘chaotic’ in the past. Today it’s clear, precise and recognisable. From silhouettes to colours and prints, which now have a more wearable appeal in the 2014 trends. Q: Top colours, prints and styles for this year? A: Hues of porcelain naturals take a large role in the top colours for trends this season, pairing up with polished earthy tones in a similarly large scale. My all time favourite – pretty pastels – have made their mark as well. However, extending the colour wheel this year are also droopy shades of pinks and oranges. My colour trend forecast would not be complete without the fondly-welcomed colours of black and white. Having said that, the whites seem to be more dominating! Prints have also taken a bold move this season. It’s larger in scale and absolutely defined in graphic work. A spaced-out layout of the prints is making it very clean and crisp in appearance. Almost direct from paper to print. Strong appearances of prints include lips, birds, floral and plaid. As much as it’s the norm for vintage styling to be key style details of the present trends, it’s taken an obvious shape that blouson is very ‘it’ for 2014. Trends have gone back to the ’50s, ’70s and ’90s styling details, bringing back the crops, lengths, volume, shapeless silhouettes into very glamorised attire for the new season! As for the street trends, the ‘R style’ (Rihanna style) has been catching up quite rapidly around us! Let’s hope that the Miley style never becomes a part of trend! Q: What do you think Sri Lankan fashion should concentrate on for 2014? A: I would think we need to tone down on details. We are very culturally driven and it is in our blood to mix in accessories and colours that lean towards that. However, it confuses the entire idea of being elegant. Less is more they say, and I am a fond believer of that. We as Sri Lankans glamorise to fit in. And to a certain extent that works, but it mostly goes wrong where we think we need to glamorise every inch of ourselves – from hair to makeup, to attire and accessories! So as far as Sri Lankan fashion goes, I think it’s safe to say we follow trends well; it’s the making everything louder all in one attire that we manage to fashionably mess it all up! Q: What kind of advice do you have for the following: day wear, office wear? A: Day wear: Three words – Comfort! Comfort! Comfort! If in a country like ours you don’t consider comfort for day wear, you will be miserable! Office wear: Respectful attire is always the key to office wear! I was shamelessly a walking example years ago with my rebellious attire. I was proud to be different but forgot to be respectful! I learnt the hard way that combining the two can do wonders to you personally! And it made the biggest difference in appearance too! Q: What kind of fabric are we looking at for this year? A: Out with the hardcore and in with the soft. Laces and sheer fabric have taken over fabric trends in most cities, elegantly draping in beautiful soft shades of colour and shapeless flouncy silhouettes. Laser cut fabrics are playing an interestingly small part in the trends this season but the metallic fabrics have brushed again in 2014, leaving small trails of illuminating colour behind! Q: What is your ultimate pick for a stunning outfit for 2014? A: A white on white, heavily embellished, sheer elegant gown!

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