TREND REPORT S/S 2014: Darkness Falls - Men's Folio
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TREND REPORT S/S 2014: Darkness Falls

  • By Men's Folio

From left: Dries Van Noten, Prada, Alexander McQueen, Comme Des Garçons

The ever-present floral trend makes an unexpectedly swift return to the Spring/Summer 2014 runway circuit; making a particularly loud presence on a majority of influential fashion houses. But before you groan at the idea of flower power making an unwelcomed comeback, the floral finds itself returning in a much grimmer, much more edgier mood.

Belgian designer Dries Van Noten found his floral inspiration while looking through the achieves of Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris; a chance encounter on a series of “pretty, but strange” prints had the designer working overtime to produce a collection expressing an evil (but stunning) side to spring.

Similarly, Miuccia Prada presented a show named “Menacing Paradise”; traditional Hawaiian beach prints were taken from sunny days to dusky evenings. With the inspiration of particular tropical paradises that have been transformed into war zones (e.g. Vietnam), Prada presented a series of floral printed shirts and sweaters that would adhere to those with a much more menacing taste bud.

And finally, which better brands can interpret murky floral than two names that are renowned for their exercise with the darker side of fashion: Alexander McQueen and Comme Des Garçons. Both fashion houses presented looks that stayed true to the DNA of the brand at its purest; McQueen with his classic modern-medieval twist, and Des Garçons with their usual quirk of mixed up madness.

Regardless of whether or not you’re a fan of the floral trend, there’s no denying that designers were able to present this almost-mundane trend in a fresh and modern way; after all, the world is not progressing to happier times as of late, why not embrace the mood?