Buttermilk yellow & bold florals among trends at Arnotts S/S show

Lemon yellow, casual sequins and bold florals were just some of the trends spotted at the Arnotts' Spring/Summer 2025 fashion show, which took place this morning in the Henry Street shopping destination.

Titled the 'Garden of Style', the presentation was inspired by the joys of nature, with models walking a bucolic runway with grass and flowers. Designs from across womenswear, menswear and accessories were on display from brands such as Damson Madder, Stine Goya, Deus Ex Machina, Coach and more.

Exaggerated silhouettes, feminine fabrics, botanical prints and powerdressing were key trends on the runway.

A pastel blue cropped suit and an updated trench coat by Max Mara were among the opening looks of the show, with edgy ensembles by Stine Goya, romantic gowns by House of CB and classic menswear looks by Carhartt and Dickies spotted on the runway.

Speaking after the show, fashion stylist and designer Oyindamola Animashaun, better known as Zeda the Architect, shouted out the inventive styling in the looks.

"I have, obviously, a very eclectic, out-there, extravagant style so it's kind of nice to come to shows like this where you can see everyday pieces being styled so beautifully", she explained.

"I think when people say 'trends', people are a bit put off by it but honestly, it's great to see", she said, adding that her approach to trending looks is: "I see it but I won't follow it exactly. It's a way to inspire me."

For her, the new take on leopard print caught her eye, especially when styled in a more casual way, as well as edgier pieces like cargo trousers. Although florals for spring might not be "groundbreaking", in the spirit of Miranda Priestley, Zeda highlighted the spin the styling team put on them in the show.

"There was a Stella Nova top that when you look at it was a navy, but the design and the cuts on it were actually in the shapes of floral designs."

Even wardrobe staples like the classic trench coat got a fun twist, with a double breasted design by Max Mara accented with orange and green scarves for a pop of colour.

Colour, it was clear, will be a major theme for this season, with a plethora of shades to dip in and out of. And on the first somewhat sunny day in Dublin in 11 days, it was especially welcome.

Speaking after the show, stylist Irene O'Brien said that, "in a small amount of time we had days' worth of sunshine there".

"I'm always excited about the Arnotts Spring/Summer show but I also feel the timing is great and there is an idea of brightness and lightness and you can see everyone has a perk in their step", she said. "And that is what fashion can do!"

"Buttermilk" or "banana" yellow was how Gaffey described the shades of yellow presented today, which she tipped as the "colour of the season" alongside blush pink. "It just shows you how versatile the colour is. It's kind of like an amped up neutral. You can swap it out with white and it looks so great with red."

Fresh off the streets of Copenhagen for Copenhagen Fashion Week, both Gaffey and Zeda spotted trends carrying over to the Arnotts show, thanks in no small part to the shop's range of Scandinavian brands.

Gaffey highlighted the "effortless styling" that Danish brands specialise in, with "unexpected pairings" like sequins and sportswear a strong trend for the season.

The lightness of spring was also contrasted with bold, structural silhouettes and vivid florals, which O'Brien highlighted. "I love when you can see shoulders but there's still some kind of exaggeration", she said of some of the suits and dresses on the runway.

Brighter, "fluorescent" florals stood out to her too: rather than "tea time" floral patterns, we saw "bold" prints.

A statement dress, O'Brien said, would be a solid investment buy if you were looking to update your wardrobe.

"I think this is a great time of year to review what you already have and I do think that when you have a really bold dress, something that you love, put it on, be excited about it, make sure you love going out in it ... you will find so many different ways of wearing it."