Forget the little black dress, this season we’re all going to be scarlet women, with red, from deep ruby to bright crimson, dominating the runways of all the biggest shows. Max Mara went for cold weather opulence with an abundance of velvet and wool while at Chloé the look was short and sweet, sticking with velvet and a pretty heart-shaped neckline. Oscar de la Renta and Zadig and Voltaire both went for pants, the resulting looks proving the versatility of this colour, while at Victoria Beckham, Valentino and Tadashi Shoji, it was all about the Little Red Dress!
This bright and fierce hue might not be to the taste of everyone; it’s a real attention grabber and perhaps not for the shrinking violet. But, if you can get past the ideas of ‘red for danger’ and ‘red alert’, it really is a rather democratic choice. Pale skinned, dark haired beauties will look stunning in deepest crimson — bright scarlet is the optimum choice to complement darker skins. Those lucky blonds can wear pretty much any shade of red and red-haired ladies can take the colour to its almost plum-like depths.
As I mentioned, it’s all about the Little Red Dress but there’s no need to restrict yourself if you want to flash just a hint of scarlet to demonstrate your fashion cred. Head to Mango for a tough, studded take on the classic biker jacket. Zadig and Voltaire’s shorty version of the classic Chinese cheongsam would look perfect over jeans or fishnets and thigh boots. For workplace sombre, the Marc Jacobs gathered top says businesslike even though the colour says otherwise!
