The art of fashion: colourful abstract print dresses

Pamela Anderson attends the Victoria Beckham SS24 fashion show during Paris Fashion Week

The fashion industry loves to kill a trend, floral dresses being a recent casualty (worry not, they’re already being revived). But it does mean designers from Stella McCartney to Andreas Kronthaler at Vivienne Westwood have turned their attention away from flowers towards abstract prints – think a Frankenthaler or Richter in dress form.

This means the high street is flooded with frocks that are really useful pieces to have in your wardrobe. An abstract print works for a wide range of invitations, from weddings to dinners, or any event where you want to feel a bit dressed up without making a whole heap of effort. See a makeup-free Pamela Anderson wearing a Victoria Beckham sponge-style print with minimal gold jewellery and platform heels to Beckham’s show at Paris fashion week.

Pamela Anderson attends the Victoria Beckham SS24 fashion show during Paris Fashion Week Photograph: Darren Gerrish/Getty Images

For everyday, style your dress with flat chunky boots and knitwear. Layer Hush’s slip dress (5, below) over a black rollneck for a more winter-friendly look, or style it under a black blazer for a night out. Whistles has a smudgy print in purple, lilac, orange and tobacco print with long sleeves (2), that works for the office or after-work drinks. Stine Goya’s stretch diagonal brush stroke design (9) flatters by wrapping around the body, as does Anthropologie’s Mila Plisse style (8). Roksanda x Jigsaw’s collaboration (6) is an investment piece that will look different every time you wear it if you pull out a different colour from the print with key accessories – just add a punchy pink shoe to highlight the pink tones, or a blue bag to heighten the blue detailing.