NYFW Trend: A Palette Of Ice Cream Pastels

"DELICACY can be strong," said Victoria Beckham backstage at her spring/summer 2018 show – and, this season, her words are proving particularly apt as the runways run awash with gelato pastels. "They're ice cream colours but it's not too sweet or saccharine," she continued of her collection, which felt particularly modern when it paired off-kilter shades, or layered transparent pieces over crisp cotton shirts. In the designer's own words, "it feels a little strange, but in a good way." Beckham has not been the only person to take a fresh perspective on a subdued palette: at Helmut Lang, Shayne Oliver took blushing pink into the domain of fetishwear; at Calvin Klein, Raf Simons's baby blue babydolls seemed somewhat sinister, paying homage to Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (although, when presented in a showspace where axes are suspended from the ceiling, even the prettiest dress would seem sinister). Then, rather than revelling in girlishness, Eckhaus Latta's cornflower knitwear – which sounds particularly prim – was cut to expose models' breasts, and their sheer, closing looks in the same colour were even less modest. That's not to say that there haven't been moments of straight-up saccharine success in the city: Sies Marjan's modern elegance came in a pastel palette, as did much of Tom Ford's return to high-octane glamour (notable moments included lilac cargo pants and blushing pink eveningwear with shimmering sleeves). Perhaps it's all a hangover from millennial pink, or maybe the industry is finally tiring of black (surely not). Whatever the reason, we're embracing it. Related reading: Deconstructed blazer trend on the catwalk.