The Evolution of florals

Forget prints, florals are taking new shapes and forms

 i-D magazine, the exhibitionist issue no.312, Spring 2011

Photography by Karim Sadli

Styling by Sarah Richardson

Flower harness Naza Yousefi & Flower bra What Katie Did. All flowers on harnesses by Hiden Floral Desi

gn and all other flowers by Lachaume.



Marc Jacobs introduced us to the flamboyant, fericious and utimately fabulous 70s floral this Spring.



I came across these vintage-style bikinis in River Island in Harrow, London. I was slightly overwhelmed that I should find such jems in River Island, they seemed far from their usual gold lame highly cut-out swimsuits (similar to the revealing style above). But they had a different sort of high matience about them; more Marilyn Monroe than Fergie. Even my parents thought they were special, and that was saying something. The 3d floral effect reminded me so much of 50s swimming  or synchonorised siwimming hats - who knew swimming caps could be so glamorous...

All 1950s images above are from glamoursurf.com

Sophie Davison (portfolio pictured below), recently graduated from Westminster in which her final collection showcased various garments with real flower and dried fruit sewn on. My sister, Daisy, also studying design at Westminster helped to make her final collection in which during the process she BBM'd me pictures of these platform shoes and the flowers she had individually sewn on.



I even spotted this light in B&Q! This may be taking it a bit too far however...

There's something about flowers, when they become more than a textile print and take hold of the fabric itself, that turns a typical A-line dress into something rather special.

3D floral cream dress £20, topshop. Orange seude platform sandals £20, River Island. Clip on flowers, various.

Photograph above, taken on my phone on a gorgeous summers evening, I love it because the colours look as though I'm in the South Pacific, rather than England.

E xx