KB News Desk
Summer wardrobes leave little room to hide. With fewer layers to work with, a single accessory or unexpected pair of shoes carries more weight than in any other season. The following is what is showing up on the street now and on the runway this year.
Toes on display
The strangest silhouette of the season has turned out to be the most fashionable: shoes that separate the toes, from barefoot styles that split all five to Tabi styles that isolate only the big toe.
Vibram FiveFingers led the shift. Its five-pronged toe box, originally aimed at trail runners, has been loved by fashionistas, including celebrities like Jennie, Shin Min-a and Lee Hyori. The thin sole and flexible construction give the sensation of walking barefoot. Styled under wide-leg pants or wide skirts, only the toe detail peeks out. With leggings, the shape becomes the point.
Maison Margiela continues to rework its signature Tabi. This season the label offers a curved-strap slingback sandal and a ballet flat in a saturated red. The slingback sharpens a minimal outfit, while the red flat adds a playful note to simple jeans.
Bigger frames, tinted lenses
Sunglasses have a single dominant shape this year: extra-large frames that cover half the face.
Prada’s Shadowplay is a useful reference point. The acetate frame is rectangular and oversized, built on chunky volumes and soft curves, with the enameled Prada logo set on curved temples. Gucci’s square-frame styles work along similar lines, trading the rounded edge for a harder outline.
Shield styles, built around one continuous lens rather than two, are not just for sports anymore. They are considered fashionable, now arriving with a range of color-tinted lenses. Amber, yellow and brown tints define much of the season’s eyewear.
Fruit core
Fruit motifs have spread from food to fashion. Between April 17 and May 18, sales of tomato-related items on the platform 29CM rose more than 259 percent on-year.
“A tomato piece has become a summer item you need at least one of. After tomatoes, the trend is likely to continue with other seasonal fruits and vegetables such as cherries, watermelon and peaches, and then with motifs drawn from flowers, herbs and grains,” an industry official said.
The colors of these fruits, such as tomato red and lemon yellow, follow the same logic, whether in shirts, shorts or swimwear.
Beaded jewelry completes the picture. Shell, fruit, heart and flower charms, strung with visible knots and irregular spacing, read as handmade rather than precious. Layered against tailored clothes, the childishness is the appeal.
