Taking inspiration from Issey Miyake's Pleats Please collections back in the 1990s, pleats continue to exert their influence on the fashion trends for Spring Summer 2019.
For those unfamiliar with such terms as accordion, box, kick, knife or sunray, they are a way of giving clothes extra volume and that oh so delightful... swish. The catwalks were awash with exaggerated shoulders, billowing sleeves and more intricate pleats than we've seen before. The result? A silhouette that contracts and moves with the wearer, an origami-like appearance, and when combined with lighter and airier fabrics for summer dresses and skirts we're sure to see lots more of this delightful combination.
And for added interest, some designers used vertical pleats to add large circular shoulders to their garments, creating shell-like sleeves in the process. Very eye-catching.
Credits: Boden (February 2019), Elle (February 2019), Hello Fashion Monthly (March 2019) and, Marie Claire (February 2019).
