Spring Breakers 2. Candy-colored Balenciaga City Bags. Addison Rae announcing her album debut via a pair of pink underwear under a diaphanous white dress at Coachella. The summer zeitgeist is building towards one thing and one thing only (and if you say a recession, you can take your ass to Bloomberg): neon!
Last month the i-D editors gave our picks for the vibe of the summer, and I humbly offered neon girl summer. I’m no soothsayer— I’m the opposite; I tend to grab an umbrella after it starts raining—but the vibrant palette struck me down in my sensibly colored ballet slippers. All around, people were going glitzy. My friend’s fingernails suddenly became bioluminescent. I spied vintage Chanel jelly totes on the arms of women downtown. Gone were subtle neutrals, replaced by porous notes of Post-it. And not just colors! Silk subbed out for neoprene and nylon.
Over grilled cheeses (American…neon) my genius writer friend Maya Kotomori identified the style as part of a broader trend she dubbed “Hi-Vis”—as in high visibility, as in glitter and neon, as in you don’t need to wear a bike light because your shirt’s stopping traffic for you. She told me, “We are in a High-Vis summer. I’m talking any shade that a traffic cone or cross walk guide would wear.” Frankly, thank god! I’ve been sick of subdued fashion that nudges at a rich inner life. And what about a rich outer life? To quote Lady Gaga, “Let’s have some fun!”
Disclaimer: this isn’t your older sister’s neon—the dingy neon of the early mid-aughts. It’s elevated. Like Monster Energy giving birth to Celsius, High-Vis’ aesthetic quirks have been polished in the great temporal refinery, muted through styling with contrasting elements—girlish when High-Vis is aggressive, subtle when it leans Spring Breakers. There’s something distinctly L.A. about the trend—hot and flippant, like wearing a bikini under your work-appropriate shirt. Or like Lauren Schiller, the creator of OGBFF (a High-Vis Brand if I’ve ever seen one) stuffing her Celine bag with yellow bikinis and mint capris. Or Manon Macasaet of Poison Candy Apple putting her models in bright pink wigs. Or like the excellent neoprene ballet flats and hot pants created by Spanish brand Gimaguas. Lucky for me Claudia and Sayana Durany, the twin sisters and co-designers of Gimaguas, weighed in on the trend and gave me some styling tips.
What’s been your inspiration behind the collection? Tell me about the color and textures you’ve gravitated towards.
Claudia and Sayana Durany: We have always loved neon colors, but it was a pink neon pashmina that we bought and have been wearing nonstop that made us want to introduce these tones into the collection. We believe in tacky chic. We introduced them in swimwear and neoprene ballerinas that feel like you’re barefoot.
How would you describe the Gimaguas girl?
Chic, daring, and messy.
What advice would you give to people who want to wear bolder colors and textures?
Personally, we like to balance the look with some light fabric garments in basic colors like white and black. But perhaps the funner part of it is to not overthink it. Playing with colour combinations, styling it freely, and doing it your own way.
Are you having a Neon summer?
Yes!