From left to right: Stella McCartney SS12, Paul & Joe SS12, Emilio Pucci SS12, J W Anderson SS12 and Matthew Williamson SS12.
Paisley, the swirly tear-shaped print that adorned scarves and shirts from the flower-power era, are making a comeback on the runways this Spring Summer season.
The power of the paisley print lies in its versatility. Stella McCartney, Paul & Joe and Emilio Pucci chose to juxtapose light-coloured paisley against dark fabrics of navy, purple and black, turning the demure paisley into an edgy statement print.
In contrast, J W Anderson and Matthew Williamson chose to go with lighter fabrics, with the focus on bright, multi-coloured paisley for a fun, breezy look.
Jil Sander SS12
The label that went crazy for paisley for Spring Summer 2012 was most definitely Jil Sander. By keeping the accessories simple, the top-to-toe paisley outfits proved to be elegant and youthful, rather than dowdy. In a nod to the era that loved paisley the most, an eye-grabbing dress with the print in psychedelic colours (above centre) was shown as well.
Paisley can be a rather tricky trend to pull off. If you’re not comfortable in stepping out in an allover paisley outfit, work in some contrast with a dark blazer or a black waist belt. Sometimes, just touches of paisley are enough: Pair light paisley tops with dark jeans or black pencil skirts and you’re good to go.
