Barbara Bui catwalk show report | PFW S/S 2016

Parisian fashion designer, Barbara Bui, made heads turn at Paris Fashion Week as she injected some free-spirit fringing, soft leather staples and bold colour in her spring/summer 2016 ready-to-wear collection.

Embed from Getty Images

Bui cited Bianca Jagger as part inspiration for her latest collection and confessed that she loves the rock “n” roll edge that can be found in much of her own work. This range for 2016 encapsulates all of what Bui loves: boyish charm with a little sex appeal and some rock glamour.

Embed from Getty Images

Dark tan leather took centre stage and is the perfect shade for this material during the hotter months; pushing classic black aside, brown is softer and easier to pair with brighter and more summery colours. To ensure the brown leather was on-trend, Bui used the material to create articles of clothing that gave it a 2016 style: smart culottes, a drop waist dress and a wrap crop are all ways in which Bui modernised the leather. Crisp white balanced out the brown for a cool feel and added details such as fringing, low-slung belts and snakeskin created the Barbara Bui rock star edge.

Embed from Getty Images

Later on, Bui gradually added some richer colour, a harlequin pattern of purple, black and deep orange continued the glam rock feel but it remained androgynous as it was used on a causal messenger bag and a trouser suit. This rich purple became a key colour in the collection and the aubergine shade was partnered with suede to create a South American feel that was only exaggerated with the introduction of a hot pink. Both these tones were paired up with black or tan to keep the pop of vibrancy from being too much.

All in all, this was a rich collection of bright hues, warm neutrals and luxurious fabrics that will have everybody dreaming of their summer holidays in the middle winter.

Emily-Rose Vierke