Browns SS21 trends: casual is key but expect glamour injection too

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Dec 22, 2020

Browns is backing Versace’s low-waist trousers for the SS21 season, as well as Bottega Veneta’s summer jumpsuit, Gucci’s flared jeans and Kwaidan Editions’ oversized blazer in the season’s hot, bright green.

The Versace key items is influenced by the 1990s trend and is among the “sexiest and lowest cut trousers of the season”, the retailer said in its new-season trend report. And that other pant favourite from Gucci is described as “the ultimate flared denim jean to flatter any shape”.

Meanwhile, the Bottega jumpsuit has a “clean and minimal approach” to the summer with a square neckline and an exposed zip being important features. 

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All three of these star pieces combine a strong visual impact with a relaxed casual feel, but Browns is also backing some pieces that look forward to a time when women will be socialising and dressing up more. That means body sculpting dresses should be big news, particularly from Khaite and Jacquemus, in knee and mini lengths.

But jackets look like being the star items for the season as the retailer puts its support behind big versions with a twist. As mentioned, the Kwaidan Editions blazer is all about intense colour and mixes oversizing with subtle waist definition.  

Meanwhile, asymmetry is the focus of Maximilian Davis’s modern update, while Commission’s suit features a jacket that’s virtually a coat, and Celine’s “off-duty look” mixes a classic mannish blazer with jeans.

But while relaxed dressing is the overriding theme, the retailer also gives a big thumbs-up to more elegant pieces, especially in footwear. It’s backing Prada’s “simple, elegant footwear in the brand’s signature nylon” and Valentino’s rockstud update that mixes chunky studs with a refined shape and ankle strap.

NEW NAMES

As always, there are a number of new brands debuting at Browns next season. They include HommeGirls, which is particularly interesting as it’s helmed by Thakoon Panichgu. The Instagram-born label is launching its first collection with a retail partner, “dedicated to women who like to borrow from the boys and shop the men's department”. That means smart-casual separates and boxers, including an exclusive pink colourway only available at Browns. 

One-year-old emerging brand Leset, created by Lili Chemla, is also making its debut having already proved a celebrity favourite with Kylie Jenner, Kacey Musgraves and Selena Gomez. “Guided by the principles that one should never sacrifice comfort for style when you can have both, collections are stylish, versatile, and cosy with serious fashion sensibilities”, Browns said.

Made In Tomboy is another newcomer and is built around denim as the mainstay of any wardrobe. The five-year-old Italian brand evokes “a carefree attitude, featuring retro cuts and washes as well as playfully oversized proportions”. That means wide-leg trousers and balloon-sleeved tops, “inspired by 70s and 80s streetwear, contemporary art and Madonna's personal style”.

Then there’s Mother Denim by Lela Becker and Tim Kaeding that focuses on “ethical production, premium fabrications and perfect fits, allow them to inject the label's irreverent disposition and super-soft fabrics into your everyday wardrobe”.

It’s very clear that many of these new labels are all about comfort and casual and that’s also summed up by other additions, such as Rails from Jeff Abrams, which mixes a “casual Southern California-cool with a more sophisticated, European aesthetic”.

It’s all about “accessible luxury, easy-to-wear pieces made from premium fabrications and cut into classic silhouettes. The overall aesthetic is relaxed, but always refined”.

We’ve already mentioned that Browns is flirting with a more glam effect for shoes and one name on its newcomer list also reflects that.

Mach & Mach is a Tbilisi-based label by Georgian sisters Nina and Gvantsa Macharashvili who “aim to make any wearer feel glamorous and unique through bright, futuristic pieces embellished with crystals, rhinestones and pearls”. Solange Knowles, Katy Perry and Kylie Jenner are among their fans.