Before New York Fashion Week officially kicked off, designers gave ELLE.com a peek at what we could expect from the upcoming Spring/Summer '20 collections. From Moulin Rouge! and Big Little Lies to the Mediterranean and Soho in the 70's, learn what Kate Spade New York, Oscar de la Renta, Christian Siriano, and more are inspired by this season.
Oscar de la Renta
"Embracing the house's Latin roots in a modern way with rich textures, exuberant colors, and lightness in fabrics."
The Blonds
"The legendary love story of Moulin Rouge! Both the film and the showstopping stage adaptation is the inspiration behind this collection.”
Chrishabana
"I was influenced by thrillers such as Body Double by Brian de Palma and Crash by David Cronenberg. Both films are equally suspenseful and erotic in the best way possible."
Shoshanna
"The Spring 2020 collection was inspired by the Balearic Islands. With a focus on texture, the line introduces new ways to print on cottons, eyelets, and laces. The collection offers vibrant florals, Spanish-inspired tile patterns, and reworked vintage prints."
Elie Tahari
"The streets of Soho in the '70s."
Baja East
"Live in the higher vibration."
Sally LaPointe
"Spring started with the idea of power. I dove into the world of power suits and the color orange. Orange represents success, determination, freedom."
Kate Spade New York
"For Spring we're on a city safari, where every turn, and every wardrobe choice, is an adventure."
Jonathan Simkhai
"Liminal."
Ulla Johnson
"Spring is a vision of emboldened femininity and a celebration of color and pattern redolent of the rise and setting of the sun."
Christian Siriano
"This season's collection was inspired by modern pop artists Ashley Longshore and Jeff Koons. Their use of playful, bright, and bold lines inspire unexpected textiles with a hint of surrealism for evening wear that is modern and elegant."
All Things Mochi
"Paying homage to the Filipino culture, designer Ayah Tabari of All Things Mochi taps into the country's traditions and talent."
Rebecca Taylor
"This season, I was inspired by an exhibition I visited at the Serpentine gallery in London titled 'Visionary Drawings' by Emma Kunz, a Swiss/German artist in the 40's. I was so inspired by her use and juxtaposition of color in the linear and graphic drawings. She worked solely in graphite and color pencils, mapping out delicate yet geometric lines that she then color blocked in beautiful and unusual color combinations. This inspired the alchemy of color/textures in our spring collection."
Chocheng
"The mystery and the glamour of headscarves and oversized sunglasses."
Alejandra Alonso Rojas
"Celebrating beauty and strength of the female figure, body and mind."
Leaf Xia
"Leaf Xia's Spring/Summer 2020 collection is focused on the traditional Tang Dynasty aesthetic with a modern feminine edge. Drawing inspiration from the motifs of the period including the peony, koi fish, and traditional paintings of maids, the color palette includes gladiola red, which serves as a strong accent throughout the collection."
Eva Xu
"Designer Eva Xu aims to restore the prosperity and inclusiveness of the late Qing Dynasty in her Spring/Summer 2020 collection. Redefining classic female costumes in Qing Dynasty with western style, Eva Xu explores new forms of womenswear at the current stage."
Mara Hoffman
"This collection is inspired by a Mediterranean journey through the late 1980s where abundance abounds."
Hiuman
"Hiuman drew her Spring/Summer 2020 inspiration from the Qin Dynasty, specifically referencing the color of the period’s famous terracotta warriors. The collection seeks to integrate antiquity with the contemporary period and explore the philosophy behind the Qin Dynasty’s costume culture, with the collection’s color palette divided into three segments referencing the legendary terracotta warriors."
Adeam
"The Adeam Spring 2020 collection is inspired by the port of Yokohama, which is one of the first ports in Japan to open to foreign trade in the 19th century. The collection fuses Adeam's East-meets-West aesthetic with nautical details and elements inspired by the ocean."
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