Catwalk to the high street
From powerful pinks to micro minisand sequins on everything, Emma Johnson reveals the top 10 trends for spring
DISCO INFERNO
If you thought sequins were just for Christmas, think again because it is going to be a sparkling spring and summer.
From suits to sweaters, and of course, dresses, this is your time to shine, so don’t go saving your sequins for a special occasion.
After the year we’ve had every day should be special.
MAXIMUM IMPACT
Super-long, super-loose and super-forgiving ....
Floaty, floor-skimming dresses in light-as-air fabrics, covered in delicate floral prints or made from pastel chiffon, popped up on the runways at Michael Kors, Giambattista Valli, Alberta Feretti and Valentino, to name a few.
They will be perfect if we ever get our summer getaways. Failing that, you’ll find me wafting around the garden in mine.
IN THE TRENCHES
Who doesn’t love a trench coat? Practical and stylish, they date all the way back to the 19th century and reappear every season with good reason. Every woman should have one.
Nina Ricci, Loewe, Victoria Beckham, Louis Vuitton and Max Mara all had a mac attack on the runway.
If you are feeling bold, try a blue or green one, or stick to the classic trench coat palette of stone, taupe and khaki.
SHOW SOME FLARE
Joggers be gone, because eans are back in a big way.
From the Seventies-style cut shown by Paco Rabanne at Paris Fashion Week to he super-wide strides from Balenciaga, you will be desperate for denim when you see the new shapes hitting the high street.
Team with animal print, or ry an oversized white shirt ike Victoria Beckham, and get ready to fall back in love with your jeans.
MINI MARVELS
Brace yourselves, ladies, because this year hemlines are going up... up... up. Versace, Miu Miu, Dolce & Gabbana and Alberta Ferretti all showed thighskimmers on the runways, teamed with everything from racer vests to bralettes and puff-sleeved blouses. Looks like it’s time to get the self-tan out.
PINK HIGHS
Think pink’s passe? Think again. The colour popped up in one collection after another and the high street is awash with it, in shades from blush to bubblegum. At Chanel, the colour looked prim and pretty on the fashion house’s iconic boucle jackets, while Jason Wu showed a summer maxi in shocking pink. Start your spring wardrobe transition by swapping that grey hoodie you’ve been wearing all winter for a rosy cardigan or loose jacket.
MAKE IT MONOCHROME
Black and white is the classic combo, and at the spring/summer shows it offered a cool alternative to the paintbox brights and punchy prints.
Prada showed white tunics with black trousers and white kitten heels, with its logo picked out in black; while Balmain had models in sleek black suits finished with white collars.
Chanel and monochrome go together like pancakes and maple syrup, and as well as the house’s signature suits, creative director Virginie Viard showed a beaded white sweater vest against black chiffon.
FRESH PRINTS
Nothing brings life to your wardrobe like a punchy print or two, and they certainly brought the runways to life, courtesy of the likes of Dolce & Gabanna, Loewe, Rodarte and Erdem.
Etro’s Milan show was inspired by a trip that designer Veronica Etro took to Ischia, Capri, Naples and Positano, which led her to make the collection all about Italy.
The nautical-themed prints on midi dresses, bralettes and shorts, will put you in mind of holidays.
THE BOLD SHOULDER
Power-puff sleeves and bold shoulders have been with us for a couple of seasons now and are not going anywhere. If your day is a whirl of video calls, a show-off sleeve is sure to pull focus. Olivier Rousteing has made supersized shoulders a signature of his work at Balmain and his Paris show was no exception, with him taking the silhouette to extremes on cropped sequin tops and suit jackets. Expect to see a slew of high street versions of Balmain’s denim jacket.
DO THE BRIGHT THING
Bright colours have been scientifically proven to boost your mood, so it’s hardly surprising that there was plenty of colour therapy on the runways. We need it after a long hard winter.
Versace, Molly Goddard and Miu Miu all raided the paintbox to give us dresses and separates in rainbow shades, while Mark Fast’s London Fashion Week show took us back to the Eighties featuring bandage-style minis, bodycon dresses and sportswear in neon brights, alongside the designer’s signature knits.
Q
Our five-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel was diagnosed with a grade one heart murmur last year at his annual check. He is not showing any signs or having any treatment. What do you think his outlook is? A
Grade one murmurs are the mildest of the six grades of murmur used by cardiologists to classify them. Those involving the mitral valve are very common in Cavaliers and are often detected for the first time at their annual check-up.
The mitral valve, between the left atrium and the left ventricle, clicks shut as the ventricle pumps blood around the body via the aorta.
If there is mitral valve disease, blood leaks back into the atrium, causing the murmur sound, and less blood is available for ventricular function.
Eventually, many dogs with murmurs will develop heart failure and require treatment.
In mild cases, some years often elapse before any signs develop, with some dogs living to an old age without developing heart failure.
Now that your vet has noticed the problem, more regular check-ups will be advisable to monitor any signs of deterioration, with perhaps referral to a specialist cardiologist if more detailed investigation is required, such as an ultrasound examination.
If there is deterioration, current treatment is very effective in prolonging the life of the dog. It aims to prevent any build-up of fluid in the lungs, reduce resistance in the circulation so that blood can flow freely and to strengthen the heartbeat.
Regular checks are all that your dog needs at present, hopefully for some years to come. Q My four-year-old male neutered cat has gone completely bald on the back of each hind leg. My vet has advised I start flea control again to see whether the fur will grow back by the spring. I am really puzzled though. Can you help? A Cats, as any cat owner will tell you, are quite unique in many ways, both in their personalities and habits. And also how they respond to parasites, such as fleas, or other causes of skin disease. It’s one of the many reasons why vets like me find them particularly fascinating. Baldness on the backs of the hind legs is well recognised as a sign of an itchy cat and it is licking the area which causes the hair to be pulled out. Don’t ask me why some cats just concentrate on that area because I am not sure. Because of the equal baldness on both legs, I was taught at college that the problem was likely to be hormonal – we called it feline endocrine alopecia. That was a bit of a stretch because no one knew what hormones were involved, and various hormone treatments didn’t work. Subsequent investigations of these cats discounted early theories and concentrated on diseases that could cause itchiness and provoke increased licking. Allergies are now considered to be the main cause of the itchiness. This could include food, dust mites, pollens or, most commonly, fleas. Good flea control is a sensible first choice, with fur regrowth possible within three months.