Chloé was bizarrely less surprising than it first seemed for SS16.

A Departure…?

It was a farewell to Chloé’s much touted love-affair with the 70s this time for Claire Waight Keller as she joined the 90s bandwagon in her own unique way. Yep, wide track-pants and terrace-worthy half-zips of the sort beloved by Palace-kids were given that elegant Chloé treatment: at least, that’s what the headlines will be. In reality, this was only a small part of the collection which felt more airy-festivalia than a fashion-raver, and boho-festival-wear does, of course, owe some considerable debt to the 70s, so maybe it’s not the departure it’s being touted as for Chloé.

Perhaps not…

There certainly wasn’t much that was rave-culture about a denim artist’s smock with matching ultra-wide flares complete with raw hems. Then there were all the tiered and ruffled dresses presented in delicate florals that floated past with a wonderfully soft grace we all recognise as characteristic of recent Chloé. Luxury dungarees, though, were a little harder to pigeon-hole and were presented in rich wine and navy: a nice spin on a youth-wear classic.

Festival-Luxe

The lost-innocence of youth was ultimately Waight Keller’s central inspiration in this collection, and it certainly showed in all the waifish white pieces in lacey fabrics drifting by. Things reached their bohemian climax in the last looks, which, although not garishly vivid, were spectacularly technicoloured and tasseled and, once again, fell down in tiers: get ready to see high street imitations next summer at Glastonbury, SGP and any other festival which doesn’t cater solely to Nikey-heads.

Words: Benji Walters