Though Rihanna’s new film Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets may be set in the 28th Century, she led the way for autumn winter fashion at the London premiere last night. Wearing a scarlet Giambattista Valli ball gown and carrying a floral flocked and crystal clutch by Jimmy Choo, the singer staked her claim to this season’s rising colour: red.
From left to right: Prada, MaxMara, Victoria Beckham
Brilliant shades of amber burned through Fashion Week’s autumn catwalks. Labels like Victoria Beckham, The Row and Prada were just a few of the many that sent out head-to-toe looks in sizzling crimson, rich oxblood and fruity cherry. And, ever since influencers have been adopting the warm shade in droves with Jeanne Damas, Camille Charrière and Emma Breschi leading the way. They wear it as an all-over wash, with shoes and trousers bleeding together or as a single statement piece, like a fire engine red coat, draped over a cream dress.
Instagram: @camillecharriere
If Millennial pink speaks to the softening of gender politics and nostalgia for childhood, then fiery red is the colour of passion. Where the soft, Acne Studios shade of pink hinted at femininity, scarlet is a political shade that’s drenched with meaning. It burns with wantonness and intensity. It’s a colour intrinsically associated as much with Hilary Clinton as Baywatch’s Pamela Anderson, it’s tied to resistance and revolution, but also Valentine’s Day. And, in recent times it’s become a byword for fecundity as the fertile women of The Handmaid’s Tale are cloaked in a rich vermillion shade. Its power lies in its complexity and inability to be pinned to one trend or mood. So, let's leave pink to the millennials and make way for this dynamic shade.
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