Think Pink: The Only Colour Called For This Spring

Formerly the preserve of little girls' toys and kitsch women like Barbie and Legally Blonde’s Elle Woods, pink has recently been reclaimed by designers, magazine makers, and makeup artists who have recovered it from the clutches of sickly sweet gender stereotypes and positioned it at the centre of their aesthetic.

With artists like Molly Soda and Arvida Byström, who originated on Tumblr and are now Instagram personalities, and feminist printed publications such as BBY and Mushpit using pink as part of their playful branding, SS17’s catwalks also saw the colour worn in every shade, from fuchsia to rose via peach and magenta.

Balenciaga paired ruched raspberry with lavender, while Valentino opted for a block colour-clash against red. Chloé served its signature dusty hue, and Rihanna’s Fenty x Puma collaboration showed just how nicely carnation and amaranth suits silky sportswear.

Interestingly, as young people reject gender binaries, a colour traditionally associated with hyper-femininity is increasing in popularity. Just why have creatives embraced pink? Well, people are wearing what they want, how they want: men are wearing makeup, women have shaved heads... it’s 2017, for God’s sake and people won’t be categorised. It could also be a backlash against the minimalism of normcore from seasons past – the maximalist Gucci effect is in full force, with feminine pieces artfully thrown together in a party of prints, colours, and textures – and which colour is more fun to play around with than pink?

Whether you’re taking your cue from Tumblr’s dreamy aesthetic or you’re looking for a colour to amp up your get-up, click through to see our favourite pink pieces available now...