Let’s twist again: 2013’s 1960s redux

This spring, go back to the future with the space-age and swinging signatures of London’s hippest decade, says Gemma Hayward

OK, so it makes little sense chronologically but, after autumn’s Seventies flavour, designers have taken the Sixties as inspiration for spring– all short hems, bright colours and retro-futurist shapes. All you need, in fact, for your very own summer of love.

Marc Jacobs, both at his own label and Louis Vuitton, went for arty references from the decade, with Op-Art inspired black and white stripes at the former and chequerboard separates in monochrome, lemon yellow and palest nude at the latter. Moschino rather doffed its cap to London in a collection that seemed to hail from Carnaby Street in miniskirts and shift dresses, trapeze-line coats and swing jackets with pocket detailing. Daisy applique dresses and Peter Pan collars felt less Milan than Margate Saturday girls on a day off in The Smoke. At Miu Miu too, pieces were embellished with paste jewels and cut boxily, begging to be paired with a pair of mules and a beehive.

The look is naïve but eclectic,  featuring plenty of acrylic and Bakelite  accessories, from earrings to sunglasses,  and topped off with vibrant beauty shades too, in pastel and electric blue for a suitably space-age feel. And try developing last  summer’s neon oranges and pinks from  accents to block colours in girlish separates for real zinging, swinging style.