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Fashion trend: Loose linen for relaxed summer style
Article posted: September 2, 2016
Linen will be a popular fashion trend this spring/summer. Images: Sussan and Country Road.
When it comes to fashion, linen has long been considered a fabric synonymous with style. So just what is it about this fabric that makes it such a wardrobe staple?
Breathability
Linen is a natural fabric with a distinctly earthy aroma. Why? Because the fibres are woven from stalks of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum, of which it takes its name.
The breathability is why you always hear that linen is such a good fabric for winter or summer – it can cool you down when you’re really hot, and it keeps you warm in the cold.
With a lower thread count than even the finest cotton, and a distinct lack of elasticity, linen wicks away moisture from the body without affecting the shape, unlike cotton.
Linen is a remarkably durable fabric, and becomes softer with wash and wear.
Luxury
Have you ever slept in linen sheets? The softness against the skin is what gives linen its luxurious reputation.
The reason it’s so flexible as an item in the wardrobe is precisely because you can layer it from season to season. There’s no other fabric which can carry you from warm to cool with such ease.
Relaxed European style
Because of its lack of elasticity, the ‘crumples’ you get when you wear linen are what makes it so distinct. It’s a casual yet luxurious fabric, which is why every European woman has at least a few items made from this fabric in her wardrobe.
The highest quality linen is still made in France, Italy and Belgium, so a stylish linen dress can bring a touch of Provence to Melbourne.
Sussan’s fashion buying manager Anna La Pira says linen is one of her favourite fabrics.
“Linen is at the heart of our business in the summer. We get how it works when it is dyed and how the quality of the fibre performs. We love how it washes and softens the more you wear it.”
From a soft linen scarf to ward off the cooler evenings, to a linen dress which can take you through to the height of summer, the fabric is natural and durable, easy to layer, and can be matched stylishly with other wardrobe staples for a classic look.