【2017年股市休市时间表】耶稣受难节、复活节安排
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City summers in a temperate climate have, until recently, required a fairly staple rotation of denim jeans and white cotton T-shirts, revamped by some Birkenstocks and a summery cord necklace. But increasingly sweltering conditions throughout Europe have brought the billowing maxi skirt back into the spotlight. According to fashion shopping platform Lyst, demand for long skirts is up 25 per cent since April, with sleek slip styles by brands such as Massimo Dutti, Toteme and The Row, as well as Cos’s sold-out bubble-hem iteration, leading the searches.?
At London’s Selfridges, maxi skirts have consistently been “in high demand”, says buying manager Rebecca Osei-Baidoo, with draped and ruched designs by Ala?a and Dries Van Noten, and flared linen styles by Dissh and Ganni, among the most popular styles. The maxi has cross-generational appeal too – long floaty skirts work with everything from Ala?a’s mesh ballet flats and white button-downs to skimpy tank tops and colourful Sambas.??
“I’ve always been drawn to the ease and movement of longer skirts that hit just above the ankle,” says designer Rejina Pyo. Her maxi offering this summer includes a pale-yellow taffeta style with a balloon hem and a flowy, pleated, off-white skirt (￡395), which she likes to pair with strappy flat sandals and a patterned silk scarf as a top, or a tonal tank. “There’s something expressive about the silhouette and how it moves. It’s relaxed and feminine.”
As well as offering a stylish solution to the balancing act of dressing for air-conditioned offices and sweaty commutes, the maxi makes for a practical choice when travelling to more conservative countries where micro skirts and thigh-flashing denim shorts might not be the norm. The long, airy skirt is a style perennial in Japan and the Middle East, for example, where temperatures can soar to 40 degrees and dressing for comfort and sun protection is prioritised.
“I love a maxi because you have the coverage but it’s airy and it’s flowing and nothing’s sticking to your skin,” says New York-based creative director Kate Berry. Her go-to is D?en’s best-selling cotton Sebastiane style, which features vintage-inspired tiered pintucks and scalloped eyelet embroidery (￡258). “I have it in both black and white and pack it pretty much wherever I go,” says Berry. “It’s seasonless and versatile: I can wear it with my LL Bean Duck boots to trudge around in the fields, or I can put on a pair of sneakers and a chambray shirt to go to the farmer’s market in New York.” Copenhagen-based artist Simone Noa also namechecks the D?en style, which she wears all year round. “It’s romantic without trying too hard. And it looks great styled with a chunky knit,” she says.?
The balloon hem, or bubble skirt, spotted on the SS25 catwalks at Ala?a, Chloé and Marine Serre, has become one of the most sought-after maxi styles. High-street hits at Mango, Cos and Marks & Spencer have sold out almost everywhere. “I like this silhouette because of the drama,” says Substack newsletter writer Leandra Medine Cohen, whose favourites include a fuchsia-coloured skirt from Vilshenko and a cotton-organza iteration by new NYC-based brand Aflalo, which she likes to wear with flip flops and a tube-shaped bra (￡658). “It’s a playful and flirty expression of summer.” Also look to By Malene Birger’s Aubrey style (￡610), which has a 1950s couture-like elegance, particularly when paired with the matching boxy jacket and minimalist sandals. Japanese brand Needles’ jersey version (￡230, ssense.com) has a sportier feel and could be tucked under a loose-fitting graphic T-shirt.?
If the puffball shape feels too avant-garde, but you’re still looking for volume, try Australian label Deiji Studios’s cotton-poplin Angle skirt (￡123, deijistudios.com), which features a clean, rolled hem and asymmetric ruching for a lightly bulbous silhouette. “They’re so comfortable and such an easy throw-on piece,” says 30-year-old London-based illustrator and content creator Poppy Almond, who has six maxi skirts in her wardrobe, including a cream-coloured ruched skirt from Mango as well as the A-line midi Deba style by Gen Z favourite Peachy Den, which she wears in a larger size for a longer hemline (￡120).
And if the frothy, voluminous style still feels too Little House on the Prairie, there are plenty of straight-cut maxis on the market. Leset’s minimalist Lauren skirt (￡160, net-a-porter.com) is cut from a comfortable stretch-knit fabric and gently skims the body, while Baserange’s semi-sheer linen Dydine (￡115) has a hint of ’90s grunge. “I love the sheer ones as they feel a bit sexier,” says florist Christie Leigh, who likes to dress down her Rise & Fall silk organza panelled skirt with Chanel ballet flats or even simple grey ankle socks and welly clogs when she’s at work. “When they’re slightly see-through and you’ve got nice knickers on. That’s a good look.”
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