The message coming through loud and clear from fashion buyers for spring 2021 is that clothing is going to be joyful with a capital J. Sure, we’ve all come to rely upon comfortable, chic basics and neutral colour palettes, enjoying our dalliances with quietly luxurious loungewear and easy-peasy knitted dresses in somber tones, but the gods of style have decided enough is enough and your wardrobes are overdue a little fun.
Designers and brands are delivering said goodness in the form of anything and everything rendered in hot pink. Softer, Millenial-pink tones are still relevant and can enjoy plenty of airtime for seasons to come, but it’s the punchier, highlighter-worthy hues that have been the focus point lately. The Who What Wear team were all in agreement that despite there also being an influx of chilli reds and sky blues, it’s this bold Barbie pink that is already leading the pack. Net-a-Porter alone has bought into 3000 iterations of joyful dresses, and from what we’ve seen a preview of, many are rendered in this trending colour.
At the tail-end of last year Jacquemus launch a pink festive capsule collection, which caused searches on Lyst (the leading fashion shopping app) for the brand’s pink bags to jump up by 61%. Add that to the fact that general searches for hot-pink items on the platform are up MoM by 23% and you can see interest is forming.
Jennifer Lopez in the most iconic pink dress of our time? Wearing Giambattista Valli in 2018. “Wearing colours under your chin that you absolutely know suit you is vital. The effect of colour so close to the face can be surprisingly powerful—slimming, enlivening and health-giving or ageing, adding weight and making you look as if you are exhausted,” Helen Venables, the MD at House of Colour told me back in 2017. Interestingly, what I have found from my research via lookbooks, catwalk shows, celebrity pictures and Instagram outfits is that this attention-grabbing colour appears to suit everyone game enough to wear it. So without further ado, let’s look at how bright pink is reimagined for spring 2021, how women are already wearing it and the shopping pieces I’d recommend if you’re feeling tempted…
Roksanda’s colour-blocked dress is oh-so-joyful with its big sleeves and bold, contrast hem. It’s extremely wearable thanks to a demure neckline, silhouette and length.
Someone invite me to something fabulous, please. This Halpern dress needs a fancy party, wedding or major event ASAP.
This dramatic puff-sleeve Loewe dress has been trending all over Instagram already. I predict it will turn up in a lot of high fashion magazine shoots over the next few months.
It’s the designer everyone wants to get up close and personal with. Christopher John Rogers’ vibrant collection has been designed with all ages and possible aesthetics in mind. You can be a minimalist and still wear hot pink head-to-toe, see?
You didn’t think Gucci would miss out on this fun trend, did you? Here, the brand has gone full throttle for all pink tones, and we’re keen to replicate soon.
Rotate’s party dresses have usually centered around super-short skirts, but combining fuschia with a longer-length cut feels more grown-up.
Could this be any more fabulous? Bettina’s Christopher John Rogers dress is a love-forever buy.
Karoline proves that hot pink can be casual and cosy too. This fluffy knit is so sweet with a printed mini.
Bright pink hues really do suit all age groups. I adore how bold Mette’s styling is here—pink, prints, purple, clashing textures… She has it all.
Anyone who follows Nnenna on IG knows that she’s the OG queen of wearing hot pink. If you’re ever looking for a fresh combination, head to her feed.
One day soon we’ll have an excuse to dress up for a posh dinner, and we’ll wear a bright pink party top, just like Pernille here.
Brightening up the streets of London on a weekly basis, it’s Sara! She’s often seen in hot pink and deftly combines it with other hues, such as turquoise.
Sometimes a hot-pink outfit calls for a smokin’ hot attitude—and Ellie is really good as making this Barbie shade look sassy rather than sweet.
Let Teef here show you the easiest way to carry off bright pink: Just add denim.
Next up, how to build a capsule wardrobe. This story was published at an earlier time and has since been updated.
