I sprinkled seeds for things to get a little hot and tropical around here about a year ago, mainly spurred on by Maarten van der Horst's Hawaiian MA collection but now it well and truly is a hot tropic to consider for the summer, as the Hawaiian shirt agenda is firmly being pushed. It was therefore only right that Maarten van der Horst, who very nearly gave up on the Hawaiian thing when he was at Central Saint Martins because of Prada's S/S 10 "Chiquita Banana" collection, to take the printforward once again with his first collaboration with Topshop. The collection comprising of eight pieces due to drop in Topshop stores and online this Friday, include the exact same print and fabric used in his MA collection made up into a Hawaiian shirt of the highest order, a pair of Bermuda shorts and a tailored jacket, an assertion of van der Horst's love of tailoring. I found it amazing that Topshop were able to resurrect that exact same fabric as the one van der Horst used in his MA collection and get the prices down to more than reasonable
In addition, van der Horst has also delved into jersey and though it's difficult to see from the pics, the viscose/cotton combo of the fabric feels amazing when worn. The hot pink jersey cycling shorts, oversized tee and cropped tank top fall in amongst van der Horst's prints like a cheeky layering device. Finally, a few easy to wear hibiscus print silk dresses with friendly pockets and drawstring are the sort of pieces you want to be mooching around in all summer, drinking Tropicana by the carton and possibly welding a brolly because when you wish for hot tropics in a city like London, you're more than likely to get served up with summer downpour. I'll also be thinking of 1950s postcards, Americana, summer longing, old men with too much chest hair on show and acid coloured drinks with umbrellas.
Van der Horst may have moved on to Mills & Boons satin bedsheet roses and boyish pinstripes for his A/W 12-3 collection and it is possible he may never want to look upon a Hawaiian floral again after two initial season of buying up entire Waikiki souvenir shops, but it'll be a hard debut to shake off from collective memory. Now this mini collection for Topshop will tie Maarten van der Horst with this association-heavy print further, and frankly we'll have a happier summer because of it.
(Maarten van der Horst for Topshop Hawaiian print shirt, pink jersey t-shirt and cycling shorts worn with vintage Gaultier Junior print sheer shirt, Christopher Kane sheer skirt, Karen Walker sunglasses and Miu Miu x Pop shoes)
(Maarten van der Horst for Topshop Hawaiian print jacket and pink jersey tank top worn with bStore x Liberty bomber jacket, Versace x H&M fringed skirt, Meadham Kirchhoff x Topshop skirt, Miu Miu shoes)
(Maarten van der Horst for Topshop Hawaiian print shirt dress worn with Topshop metallic pleated skirt, Issey Miyake long pleated skirt, Stella McCartney shoes, Boyy bag)
(Maarten van der Horst for Topshop Hawaiian print shirt dress worn Maarten van der Horst MA collection frilly back shirt, Beau Coops sandals, MauStein x ASOS glasses)
