Trust me, lavender is the only colour you'll want to wear this summer

Dopamine dressing at its finest

lavender trend
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Forget about monochrome shades of black, grey and white, if the Spring/Summer 2024 collections made anything clear, it's that this season is all about dopamine dressing.

Breakout hues so far have been red, butter yellow and orange, but I have a soft spot for this subtle take on purple: lavender.

It took over each fashion capital from New York to Paris, with every designer interpreting it in a different way. At Michael Kors, models wore vibrant oversized sweaters and short trench coats with sandals. At Carolina Herrera, it was all about sheer lace dresses and separates, as well as pale lilac silk gowns worn with masculine black blazers.

Victoria Beckham favoured the hue on oversized suits and satin dresses, a vibe she also brought to her recent collaboration with Mango.

In Paris, at Issey Miyake we enjoyed layer upon layer of lavender on trousers, shirts, trench coats and hats.

But while the latter made for a striking outfit, for a more wearable look, I recommend pairing lavender with complimentary hues, such as the aforementioned butter yellow, mint or orange, or toning it down with black or denim.

Penny Goldstone

Penny Goldstone is the Contributing Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK. She writes about catwalk trends and the latest high street and Instagram sartorial must-haves. She also helms the Women Who Win franchise.

She has worked in fashion for over 10 years, contributing to publications such as Cosmopolitan, Red, Good Housekeeping, and Stylist.