Of all the “essential” fashion trends social media has been touting this summer, the most intriguing one is definitely the newest one.
The “core Italian garden party” essentially requires the adopter to strut around in a botanical-print dress, giving off the air of someone rich, carefree and having a good time, and possibly adorned with a glass of prosecco. I would quote this over “tennis center” or “cowboy center” any day.
The name was coined by heiress Nicky Hilton Rothschild on her Instagram page — she captioned a photo of herself attending the annual art conservation event Save the Venice Gala with the phrase and some obligatory flower emojis. Hilton Rothschild wore a pale green chiffon dress with a yellow poppy pattern by Oscar de la Renta; She could easily wear the same look at a wedding in Lake Como.
Although Hilton Rothschild says so, there are plenty of references to other brands on the catwalk too – Carolina Herrera, Giambattista Valli and Dior have recently presented whimsical florals on sheer chiffon. You’ll see the Italian garden party in action on TV too – season three featured Lady Caroline’s Tuscan wedding. Subrogation and then the entire second season White Lotus Taormina was in the background, and Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya and Meghann Fahy’s Daphne summed up the look.
To evoke an Italian garden party, a dress needs a few standout features. Greenery is important; whether it’s literal olive leaf prints, vines, or a more obscure nod to the richer, darker color of European greens. You might consider a lemon motif (very Sicilian) or a vibrant bougainvillea. There are two ways to go in terms of fabric; ethereal chiffons (by Hilton Rothschild) or a breezy linen. For added originality, it would be ideal if the material you are wearing was actually produced in one of Italy’s luxury factories.
“Lake Como continues to be a beautiful source of inspiration for me,” says designer Suzannah Crabb, founder of Suzannah London. “I visit there while doing research on the Italian fabric factories I work with.”
Vintage plate dress, £165, Kitri
He is also interested in Tuscany; The new holiday collection features a rich landscape print applied to Italian silk kaftans, shirt dresses and palazzo trousers.
“Italy offers the dreamiest palette that never stops giving,” she says. “There are picturesque lemon and jasmine prints on the cotton shirt dress and kaftan [in my new collection]and a dreamy hand-painted Tuscan landscape was digitally created. For a chic Italian finish, I’d add buttery tan leather flats and refined straw hats.
While Suzannah London’s take on the “Italian garden party core” is pretty literal, other brands have gone in different directions. Kitri’s new series includes vine leaf prints as well as an interesting trattoria plate pattern; There are references to olives and lemons, tomatoes and mozzarella in the graphic design; All the ingredients for a delicious caprese are in your dress.
Dolce & Gabbana’s new Flower Power Collection is adorned with lemon yellow roses – matching accessories include yellow and green Sicilian signature bags, espadrille wedges with floral ribbon ties and corduroy silk scarves.
For those who prefer to avoid loud prints, the Mondo Corsini label will help guide your mood. Founder Susan Corsini was inspired by trips she took this summer with her Italian family to the Costa Smeralda, “the playground of luxury-living Europeans in the 1960s.”
Meryem linen dress, £340, Mondo Corsini
“An Italian garden party is a great excuse to turn up the drama,” says Corsini. “I always gravitate towards exaggerated silhouettes – dresses with billowy sleeves and grass-skimming length skirts.”
Corsini says the style trick to watch out for is the balancing act; Choose a maximalist print or color block dress with minimalist accessories and statement earrings. Linen dresses are available in pastel clay colors to match your villa, as well as bolder hibiscus prints.
“For evening, I love the idea of elevating a floor-length linen caftan or column dress with slicked-back hair and statement jewelry,” she says. “When I’m not wearing my own brand, I’ll stick to a classic print by La Double J or Borgo de Nor and keep the accessories simple.”
Dressing up for a dream holiday destination (even if you’re still at home in the UK) is a guaranteed mood booster. Whatever the occasion, go for the garden party attraction and crack on the prosecco.
Dress for the hot Mediterranean sun…
Summer posy dress, £375, Needle and Thread; Vine skirt, £120, Kitri; Lemon beaded bag, £70, Jacksons
Linen dress, £200, Pink City Prints; Twill silk scarf, £250, Dolce Gabbana