Trend report: Nudes

This season’s nudes come in fluid, figure skimming fabrics and shades to suit every figure and skin tone.

For the past few weeks, we have been bombarding you with Spring’s more flamboyant trends. Neon hues, punchy prints, bold colour blocking and the like. But as much fun as these vibrant looks can be, working them 24/7 can get the better of even the most fearless fashionistas.

As always, designers were one step ahead of the game and have provided us with a subtle alternative to rainbow brights, delicate nudes. This season’s nudes come in fluid, figure skimming fabrics and shades to flatter every figure and suit every skin tone. Whether you go for palest shades of off-white or richer honey suckle hues, working the nude look is a failsafe recipe for understated elegance. This more muted palette provides the opportunity to really experiment with different textures, finishes and fabrics. Go for low-key luxury in head-to-toe nudes or mix with brights for the ultimate in this spring/summer '11 trend blending.

Lanvin

Legendary French fashion house offers ultimate in grown-up glamour.

Wide range of delicious nude hues ranging from soft putty shades to caramel.

Luxurious fabrics including fluid silks, sleek jersey and sheer chiffon are mixed perfectly with a soft nude colour palette, minimal detailing and simple shapes keep things subtly  yet sexy. There were also a mix of body-conscious, modern pieces, fluid drapery and pleated chiffon offering something for everyone.

Drama of floor-sweeping pieces offset by soft colours, creating the ultimate in effortless elegance.

Antonio Berardi

Antonio is undoubtedly one of the hottest up-and-coming designers around and his take on this seasons ‘nudes’ is both deliciously feminine and strikingly modern.

Berardi had a perfect city-chic take on the trend with soft and romantic in colours, in shades of peach. From delicate, floaty chiffon dresses and pussy-bow blouses to de-constructed tailoring, Antonio’s SS11 collection is both beautiful and wearable, making it easy to work the nude look whatever your lifestyle or body type.

3.1 Philip Lim

Ultra-cool New York based designer wowed at fashion week with an achingly hip yet beautifully wearable SS11 collection, which showcased an enormous range of covetable nude pieces. Anyone who thought nude was just one colour obviously hadn’t seen Lim’s take on the trend! Collection covers a whole spectrum of nude hues including taupe, sepia, blush and more. Offering us a  master class in layering, mixing and matching different shades of nude for extra style points, he had the fashionistas holding onto the edge of their seats. Experimenting with unexpected textural combinations — Lim keeps things interesting with lambskin, butter soft leather, fine knits and sheer chiffon paneling.Ultimate day wear for girls who have their finger on the fashion pulse

Take a leaf out of Lim’s book and wear your nudes with flashes of bright blue for maximum impact.

Iman’s Dos:

• Perfect when paired with sleek hair

• Wear with statement jewellery

• Pair with minimal makeup

• Create the opulent affect of pairing nudes with a golden tan

Iman’s Donts:

• Wear with a Red Lip

• Pair with white as it gives a washed out affect

• Colour block nudes with brighter colours

• Wear light nudes if you're too fair, find the perfect shade to suit your skin tone

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th,  2011.