Arthur Arbesser S/S 2018

Scene setting: Vienna-born Arthur Arbesser printed the score of Franz Schubert’s Fantasia in F minor onto his show invitation – two pianists were on hand at the show venue to peform the musical duet. It’s not the first time the designer has picked the composer (also Austrian) as his soundtrack – his compositions formed the accompaniment to the designer’s A/W 2015 show.

Mood board: Hands were a running motif throughout, tiled over graphic intarsia knit jumpers, and paired with demure knee length shirts. The elegant collection featured puff-shouldered striped dresses styled with a string of glass beads, raingear came in lilac PVC (transparent outerwear is everywhere on the catwalks) and polo-shirts and shorts were imagined in kitsch graphic prints. Glinting beads also featured on navy coats and shirts, stitched in graphic horizontal stripes.

Finishing touches: There’s always a touch of the off-kilter in Arbesser’s designs, sharing a similar appeal with Marni on the Milan fashion schedule. For S/S 2018, Arbesser settled for unusual sou’wester hats, imagined in graphic prints and sailor stripes.