With all of the cold and dreary weather Montreal has experienced this winter, it feels as if spring is anything but near. As sales on Winter/Fall collections begin to wind down, we can look back to the spring previews at Spring/Summer fashion weeks in the fall to serve as a much-needed reminder that warmer weather is just around the corner. From new innovative ideas to the resurrection of classics, this year’s shows have given us a sneak peak of what we can expect to see popping up around stores in the not too distant future.

Trends for women

Embellished detailing: High-piled sequins, lamé, and paillettes will make for the perfect night-out ensemble next season. With collections ornately decorated from head to toe, subtlety is definitely not the name of the game this season.

Metallics: Bright, shining metallics in every shade are a common trend among designers. From Diane von Furstenberg’s high-shine golden dresses to Max Mara’s sheer metallic tops, there will be no shortage of sheen come springtime.

Sporty-meets-sophisticated: Athletic-inspired clothing seems to be a clear favourite for the upcoming season. Designers like Tommy Hilfiger and Marc Jacobs have filled their collections with track, swim, and tennis-inspired pieces that are probably the last thing you’d want to wear to the gym.

Cropped jackets: Loose, cropped silhouettes made their mark on the runways in the fall in a variety of materials and prints. While a stark contrast in respect to length with the popular boyfriend blazer, these jackets are just as oversized and boxy, if not more so.

Art-inspired prints: “Fashion as art” will come alive this spring in the literal sense, with everything from jackets to skirts decked out in bold, museum-worthy prints. Prada in particular has transported a number of lithographs and commissioned paintings onto their pieces, taking full advantage of this new trend.

Trends for men

Florals: Floral prints in a wide variety of colours will be making their mark next season in men’s fashion. They’ll be appearing on everything from button-up dress shirts to board shorts.

Double breasted blazers: The resurrection of 1940’s era fashion seems to be a theme in men’s spring fashion collections, with double breasted blazers leading the movement. This classic piece is making a comeback, and it’s no longer just for your grandfather.

White on white: All-white suits were featured at a wide range of shows from Billy Reid to Brooks Brothers. Mixing different textures of white is key to keep this look from becoming tacky.

Colour blocking: The classic black t-shirt has some new competition. Characterized by contrasting blocks of colours within the same piece, colour blocking gives an edgy, yet casual effect to all types of clothing.

Bomber jackets: This classic and extremely versatile staple piece appeared all over the runway last fall. While 3.1 Phillip Lim’s collection showcased a more futuristic twist on the jacket, Balenciaga offered a throwback to the original WWI pilot design. Whether they’re wool, suede, or leather, these slim fitting jackets will go with just about everything.

Photos courtesy of Polyvore, TopShop, Lyst, and Old Navy.