Acceptable in the 80s

The decade spawned many a crime against fashion, but brands showing at Bread & Butter will be hoping to cash in on retro looks inspired by the 1980s

It was back to the future at Bread & Butter Barcelona last week, with 1980s-derived trends dominating. From retro graphics and fluorescent brights to slogan jerseys, spring 08 harks back to the days of Wham and acid house.

The trend was most explicit in the Sport & Street hall, with Fenchurch, Supreme Being, Franklin & Marshall and Fly 53 flying the 1980s banner. Neon slogans and abstract colour-clash geometric patterns were the biggest crowd-pullers.

The theme was not overlooked in the Denim or Superior halls. Wrangler's light denim washes and faded art-house prints nodded to the trend, while Levi's focused on capped sleeve, loose-fit tops and reissue Sta-Prest trousers in super-bright shades.

Dutch streetwear brand Gsus also ticked the 1980s box, with logo prints on jersey dresses belt-cinched at the hip. Stores eager for immediate delivery headed for Amplified, where Frankie Says Relax foil-print T-shirts stood out alongside Happy Mondays tour T-shirts and warehouse rave neons.

Buyers looking for 1980s styles with more trend-wary male shoppers in mind had lots of options in retro sports, particularly track tops and vintage-look jersey polos. Brands jumping on the look included Seal'Kay, Dephect, K-Swiss, Ringspun, Merc, WESC, and original purveyors of the trend Le Coq Sportif and Fila.

On denim, there were still rails of skinny styles in raw indigo fabric. Among those moving the silhouette forward were G-Star with its low crotch super-tapered Harvel, and Wrangler, which added details such as darting to super-slim trouser hems.

More interesting was the move to a more commercial shape, seen at Replay, Firetrap, Hilfiger Denim and Pepe Jeans London. Call it the boyfriend, but in essence the shape is a subtle variation on the classic straight cut, albeit with more room through the leg.

KEY LOOKS

The 1980s

A 1980s fever dominated this season's collections, sparked by the nu-rave scene. From mainstream to underground labels, the silhouette took in slashed armholes, batwings and baggy sleeves for women, while men's T-shirts, jazzed up with neon graphics, were more fitted than their 1980s forebears.

SPORT CASUALS

Vintage sportswear styles drew on the Borg-McEnroe tennis era. A far easier way for retailers to reference the 1980s, pinstripe polos and slim-fit track tops came in sporty blocks and stripes. Women's styles delved further into the past, and included knitted 1940s-inspired tennis dresses.

SUN SHADES

Streetwear's return to colour looks set to continue for spring across young fashion. Sunshine yellow and saturated egg yolk shades made their mark on denim, lightweight outerwear, polos and tops. Sunset oranges, meadow greens and cerulean blue also ushered in the summer colourscape.

GREY AREA

Sophisticated-looking soft greys - often contrasted against white - injected a refined look to the trends in Barcelona. Pigeon-soft shades dominated on denim, layered fine-gauge knits and preppy polos, while streetwear hoodies used tonal shades in all-over graphics. from retro blocking to delicate filigrees.

TECH SPORTS

Lightweight nylons underlined streetwear's fascination with technical sports. Key looks included hoody windcheaters in bright colours, shiny finishes and complicated graphics. Varnishes added lustre to muted grey and bright shades. Denims at G-Star and Seal'Kay also featured technical finishes.

CHECK MATE

Though not the most obvious of trends, checks and tartans made their mark through glen checks and more directional chessboard squares. Darker colour palettes smacked of punk references, while fluorescents and multi-coloured options touched on retro computer graphics and the 1980s trend.

PREPPY

Collegiate, preppy styles were aimed at a younger audience for spring 08. This male-dominated trend was inspired by the popularity of tailored shorts. They were teamed with crested blazers, round-collared shirts and striped cardigans in grey, blue and white to create a slim-fitted and crisp look.

INDIE ROCKER

Rock 'n' roll reared its head through white and grey denims, skinny ties and T-shirts worn with waistcoats. Biker jackets were a key part of the look aimed at grown-up streetwear rockers against the back-drop of nu-rave shades. Flashes of red and shiny metals broke up the black and white palette.

THE 1980s

Colour clashes, all-over graphics and neons harked back to the decade that style forgot

Contacts

Amplified 020 8452 4266

Analog 00 43 51 22 30 440

Boxfresh 020 7749 1900

Gio-Goi 020 7841 3000

Levi's 01604 599753

Religion 01323 441777

Wrangler 0845 600 8383

SPORT CASUAL

Tennis references provided a cleaner 1980s casual look

Contacts

Dephect 020 8429 1337

Fila 01923 475600

Fly 53 01905 746 565

K-Swiss 01458 449300

Le Coq Sportif 07866 682501

Original Penguin 0870 766 9890

Seal'Kay 020 7613 1111

SUN SHADES

Bright yellow led the charge of saturated summer colours

Contacts

55DSL 020 7317 9136

Antik Denim 00 33 49 41 02 580

Firetrap 020 8753 0200

Fullcircle 020 8753 0312

Golddigga 01332 299783

Levi's Red Tab 01604 599753

Mambo 020 7479 4310

GREY AREA

Soft grey shades formed a muted counterpoint to brights and neons

Contacts

Boxfresh 020 7749 1900

Fly 53 01905 746 565

Fullcircle 020 8753 0312

Gsus 020 7613 1262

Obey 00 17 14 42 91 595

Rudolf Dassler by Puma 020 7439 0221

Supreme Being 01223 208078

TECH SPORTS

Shiny finishes appeared across denim and nylon outerwear

Contacts

Boxfresh 020 7749 1900

Die 020 7336 8610

DrunknMunky 01582 841412

Fly 53 01905 746 565

Fullcircle 020 8753 0312

Gio-Goi 020 7841 3000

Seal'Kay 020 7613 1111

CHECK MATE

Chessboard squares and plaids helped to inject all-over colour

Contacts

Burton 01932 567689

Criminal Damage 020 7247 0089

Dickies 00 49 40 20 00 060

Fenchurch 020 8515 5080

Fly 53 01905 746 565

Gsus 020 7613 1262

WESC 01271 865600

PREPPY

Mainstream Americana styling was given a youthful reworking to create a relaxed look

Contacts

Blue Blood 020 7289 5026

Firetrap 020 8753 0200

Fullcircle 020 8753 0312

Hilfiger Denim 020 7612 9900

Levi's Blue 01604 599753

Merc 020 7439 7750

Seal'Kay 020 7613 1111

INDIE ROCK

Rock 'n' roll returns for another season in a monochrome guise

Contacts

Ben Sherman 020 7812 5300

David Bitton 020 7436 3377

Firetrap 020 8753 0200

Hilfiger Denim 020 7612 9900

K by Karl Lagerfeld 020 7479 7561

Teddy Smith 020 8961 5111

Religion 01323 441777.