PARIS, May 7, 2004/ FW/ --- Summer 2004 is going to be a scorcher in terms of the trends.

Rich in colour and audacity, the following is what Fashion Windows recommends to conscious fashion shoppers as the must-haves for the summer from the French market.

As for this season’s colours, they are the most shocking and vivid that we have had in a long time.

Banished are the subtle colours that have distinguished themselves on beaches and in the discos.

They have conceded their place under the sun to orange, yellow, pink, green, and anything else that will draw the eye’s attention.

In terms of the clothes that wear these colours as banners, only a few are the indispensable must-haves.

Girls, dust off your old daisy duke shorts! Although, hipsters are still in, they will find that their supremacy is now challenged by the return of hot pants! Yes, they are finally back.

When one really thinks about it, it is the natural progression, especially when boosted by the famous. Christina Aguilera and L’il Kim both sport them in a video together.

Let us not forget the infamous “wonder woman” outfit worn by Serena Williams during last month’s NASDAQ 100 tournament in Miami.

Ms. Williams is a trendsetter on the courts. Now, her on court fashion antics will be translated and finally brought into the streets and discotheques.

As for tops, anything that is off the shoulder will do. I have observed that they dominate the boutique windows in the Sentier district. (The Sentier is Paris’ centre for fashion knockoffs. If you’re a big name in fashion and don’t find your collection hanging in the windows of these knockoff boutiques, something is wrong.)

As for accessories, look for little purses and handbags in the shape of ankle boots.

I first saw these in Paris at Carven (by Pascal Millet) haute couture fashion show back in January. Cheap rip-offs have been hanging in the windows of Sentier boutiques since the day after the show.

As for men, slender jeans and hipsters along with sandals and T-Shirts are on the order of the day. Of these all, T-shirts are the most interesting.

Photo courtesy of YOU

Colourful and innovative, they are already appearing in some of Europe’s most trendy discos from London to Ibiza.

The most interesting can be found in collections from Benoit Missolin, Stéphane Plassier, YOU, Masatomo, Philip Dubuc, Lucien Pellat-Finet, and Wooyoungmi.

Benoit Missolin Benoit Missolin

Petar Petrov Petar Petrov

Romain Kremer Romain Kremer