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FASHION

Shocking shades

Brights get brighter this spring as screaming pink, purple and green join last year's bright blue and yellow. We even veer off to the land of neon, a revival first flicked at seven years ago when Louis Vuitton brought graffiti artist

Stephen Sprouse in to splash up the fashion house's famous logo bags. Years after his death in 2004, Sprouse continues to

inspire a new generation of

designers.

Denim redux

At Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld is playing with the ultimate proletarian fabric: denim. Using it in bathing suits, dresses and trench coats, he makes humble fabulous. The wash is not quite acid, but here is fair warning: Many of the grooviest young jeans labels are going that route.

Garden state

Nicolas Ghesquière went for hydrangea prints as big as your head at Balenciaga - an eyeful, to be sure. But a funny visual trick happens when the elements of a print are wrought so huge: They blur together into a solid background. And after all, small, tasteful flower prints look matronly and boring. Big, splashy Florida fun? Bring it on.

Size matters

We have long lamented the empire dress, the baggy baby doll worn with leggings that leaves everyone wondering just who is expecting. We think it's a plot by all those baby-bearing Hollywood stars, whose stylists have perpetuated the bag dress to hide the awkward bump of early pregnancy. Now, Alber Elbaz for Lanvin is taking it one step further and suggesting over-the-top billowing sack dresses. Fear not: When blown up to this point, dresses become delicate and beautiful.

Shoulder pads (really)

As much as we fear the shoulder pad, the cool kids of Paris and New York have taken the look to the streets: This is a generation that doesn't cringe at Working Girl and finds sharp shoulders intriguing. They've given designers the confidence to pump up the volume to linebacker levels. Alexander McQueen's war bride shoulders are sexy. Martin Margiela may have gone over the top with his futurama pads.

Sheer delights

This is a literal trend - we are showing what lies beneath: the naughty bits. But designers are also toying with exposing the underpinnings of clothing construction. Last fall, Marc Jacobs showed a clunker of an avant-garde collection, all covered up and sombre. For spring, he moves to the opposite pole with a see-through series. But we are not going to have a replay of the visible bra-strap thing. Look for sporty underthings to show through the chiffon.

Romper room

Naf Naf anyone? Those who lived through the Wham!-era jumpsuit are about to experience a serious case of déjà vu. Designers have been trying to get us to dress in onesies for a couple of seasons now and they are about get their way. Stella McCartney - who, come to think of it, has two small children at home - is particularly ardent about the playsuit (a short dress with tiny legs, much like a full-length skort).

Funky footwear

Oh, dear. We have another weird shoe season on our hands. Directional leader Prada shows precipitous colour blocks in suede. As usual for the label, the look is both almost ugly and almost beautiful. In general, toes are still stubby and round. Heels are sky-high but thick, or platformed to the point of ridiculousness.

Blazer of glory

Nothing is more eighties than the blazer. (Picture a Ralph Lauren schoolboy decked out in navy and adorned with a big crest.)

It is a logical extension of the suit, which came back strong last year. We welcome all this, remembering how much easier it is to dress with a jacket. Uniforms are underrated.

Flashdance faces

Last year, fashion types, guilty of perpetuating the clothing horrors of the 1980s, were bragging that we had avoided the big hair and heavy-handed makeup of the greed decade. Well, makeup

artists have done an about-face, turning to black-ringed eyes and goopy gloss. (Yes, the rule of years past that you can't do lips and eyes at the same time is now moot.) Unlock the hot rollers, it's hooray for bad taste!

WHAT'S NEXT: DESIGN

swish Chalet

Not since Jean-Claude Killy schussed his way around the world in the sixties has chalet style enjoyed such prominence. Two winters ago, the Turin Olympics charmed TV viewers. Now, there's Vancouver to look forward to. Whatever the stimulus, the enthusiasm among both designers and consumers for bearskin rugs, hip sectional sofas and suspended fireplaces has all the force of an avalanche. Pour yourself a mug of cider and enjoy.

100-mile style

Just as foodies try to source, buy and eat as much locally produced food as possible, designers and homeowners will be turning more and more to regional artisans, furniture-makers and fabric mills in the coming year and beyond. The reasons are manifold: to support local industries, to avoid long waits for furnishings made abroad, to decrease their carbon footprints. In Canada, the encouraging number of small-scale design ateliers, textile studios and furniture workshops already bears witness to the trend.

Copper field

Over the past few years, copper cookware has become increasingly popular in Canadian kitchens. Now, copper sinks, soaker tubs, faucets and other fixtures are popping up in bathrooms. A richer-looking alternative to chrome and enamel, the gleaming reddish metal adds colour, a jolt of opulence and some Old World allure to loos. Like their kitchen counterparts, copper vessels also heat up faster and last forever.

Grey matters

Every decade or so, a new neutral appears on the scene and stays put for years to come. In the 1980s, everyone adored black; in the late 1990s, it was beige. This year, it's grey's turn at bat, whether it's gunmetal, silvery, slate or pearl. One of the reasons for grey's projected longevity is its inherent versatility. The darker shades are excellent backdrop tones, while the softer ones work anywhere white does. Most impressive is the wide array of fabric, paint, wallpaper and furniture available in the hue.

on the rise

It used to be only cartoon millionaires such as Daddy Warbucks or Bruce Wayne who had lifts in their homes. Nowadays, though, residential elevators are taking off. Like many other trends, this one is being driven by aging baby boomers with cash to spare and an eye on future mobility. Their options range from sleek glass boxes to handsome wood-panelled numbers. Going up?

elegant eighties

Are we forecasting the return of pink and black colour schemes, geometric flower arrangements and Dynasty-calibre glitz? Not quite, but the greed-is-good decade has cast its influence over fashion of late and will do so with decor this year. This time around, though, the trappings will be swanky instead of showy, gorgeous rather than garish. Think shimmering Armani Casa room dividers and elegant black glassware by Calvin Klein Home, not bright brass bar carts or ebony po-mo vases. Would Alexis Carrington Colby approve? Probably not, but we're looking forward to the proposed Dallas remake anyway.

Sahara sizzle

Of The New York Times's top places to visit in 2008, four are in North Africa: Libya, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The first two countries - long off limits to tourists - have recently become more accessible, while the latter pair contains such newly happening style centres as Tunis and Marrakesh. Not coincidentally, their influence has been sweeping through Western design, including home decor, like a fast-moving scirocco. From sandy tones and desert motifs to earthenware pots and plump floor pillows, the look and feel of the Maghreb is hot, hot, hot.Deconstruction zone

Benches that fit together like puzzle pieces, dainty Louis XIV-style chairs with screw-studded metal backs and seats. These days, furniture designers are betting that consumers want to see how their pieces work or were put together. And they would be right. As homeowners become design-savvy, their interest in the literal nuts and bolts of what they buy and decorate with is sincere. So expect to see more furniture with a consciously deconstructed look, from exaggerated fittings to exposed rivets and screws.

shining examples

Glossy furniture has been fashionable for some time now, but only the most daring decorators have indulged in the drama of high-sheen walls, floors and/or ceilings. Until now. As the recent popularity of graphic wallpapers proves, homeowners are more than willing to consider spectacular room treatments, especially in small, intimate areas like dining or powder rooms. Break out the sunglasses!

crocodile rock

When the Royal Ontario Museum hosts the biggest exhibition ever mounted on Charles Darwin this March, live Galapagos tortoises will sit among the displays.

In the meantime, turtles, snakes, lizards, alligators and crocs are crawling onto everything from cutlery to cushions. Their presence - a result of the recent mania for stylized flora and fauna - also complements a number of other trends, from the 1980s (think Lacoste shirts) to desert style.