The Carolina Herrera Spring 2017 collection is a statement on the style codes of Carolina Herrera. Marking three and half decades of elegance and style, this season is an authentic expression of the designer’s stand alone mission, “I want to make clothes that are beautiful and effortless, you don’t have to think about them, only wear them with ease.”

The collection is both traditional and innovative, always refined with Herrera’s signature thoughtful and comprehensive approach to fashion. Elegant and mostly red carpet-ready, the Carolina Herrera Spring 2017 collection infused with a much-needed playful vibe that makes everything unapologetically ready-to-wear indeed, with a slightly workwear attitude dominating the scene.

This specific collection’s sense of youthfulness is found in the Spring 2017 line-up as she explored verticality, artfully arranging her black-and-white stripes with denim pieces and tulle embellishments. Although the collection is strong on evening dresses and flared, elegant lines, Carolina Herrera took the time to play with workwear-inspired garments too, wrapping up the bodies either in oversized denim camisoles-turned-dresses or pleated frocks with sweetheart necklines.

Bustier tops, sleek textures and loads of organza remind us of Herrera’s first decades in the fashion industry, with her signature princess-like garments having been just interpreted with an eye toward a more modern lifestyle. On the other hand, bride-inspired floor-length dresses overwhelm us with past reminiscences, when Herrera’s creations were richly textured and overall imposing.

As for the collection’s color palette, Herrera surprised us by primarily focusing on whites and blacks, with only the denim textures and a few sleek floral prints (that sort of revisit the Nineties throughout Herrera’s cutting-edge cosmopolitan lens), lightening up the entire collection.

Herrera then managed to keep a synergy between the old and the new with classic poplin and balloon dresses, as well as puffed-up shoulders, the futuristic-like crinkled effects of which will surely become one of next season’s ultimate trends.

Watch behind the scenes as the designer celebrates her 35th anniversary with a milestone collection reminiscent of the past with a modern and contemporary aesthetic.