A cut above the rest: spring/summer's go-to erogenous zone gets an artful update

The cold shoulder trend is on it's way out, but what comes next? Sarah Young investigates why you'll be putting your neck on the line this season in favour of asymmetric allure

The Jackie JS Lee Spring/ Summer 2016 collection signifies freedom with a shoulder reveal

After a long winter of hibernating in cosy knits the lure of warmer climes fuels a dismissal of anything that obscures full view of the décolletage – spring/summers go-to erogenous zone. As of late there’s been a focus on the bare shoulder and bardot necklines, but is the cold shoulder trend finally on its way out? It’s been worn to death that’s for sure. The more fashion forward of us can’t help but groan at the deluge of naked shoulders on our Instagram feed as we lust after something new (for a few months at least) but what comes next? This season, shoulders came into view once again but rather artfully might I add with a fresh take on a vintage silhouette – cut out and purposely fractured, the asymmetrical neckline has apprised the collarbone.

Creating clean lines and offering subtle peeks of the shoulder exposes the body in a more aloof, playful way and it felt like no runway was left out of this trend for spring/summer 2016. For Jackie JS Lee, the asymmetric neckline signified freedom with her signature tailoring seen through fresh eyes – floaty dresses with mismatched spaghetti straps and pleated one shoulder shift dresses were layered over shirts and offset with a mix of structured fabrics and laser cut applique.

Versace looked to empower with her Spring/ Summer 2016 collection

This rang true with Versace and Sonia Rykiel, too, who both looked to empower with their collections – the latter elected the night owl as her muse with one shouldered capes and crossover detailing instilling club culture at its heart. It wouldn’t be Versace without a little sex appeal, but this time round she insisted that her women should be recognised for their beautiful tailoring rather than flashy style. Ergo, many looks took on a binary appeal with exceptional cutting – racerback come shift dress creations with the odd long sleeve and tie-up shoulder to boot. Christopher Kane on the other hand was fuelled by the idea of damage and repair with triangle cut out shoulders and dresses with four, even five different straps. This was an inspiring collection bound by patching and piecing wafting layers together.

Revealing a little shoulder is the perfect way to show some skin without going overboard and a trend that almost everyone can embrace, but there are a few points to bear in mind. Firstly, pick your undies wisely as asymmetric tops demand a strapless bra and seeing as you’ve gone to so much trouble to find the perfect lopsided look – make sure it’s the feature of your outfit. Keep things simple elsewhere and don’t forget to keep your hair off your shoulder too. Follow these simple rules and you’ll soon be a collar bone queen.