The world of fashion might not be celebrated for its permanence – pseudo or micro-trend, anyone? – but nobody can criticise it for a lack of originality.

As a riposte to the sombre state of global affairs – war, financial crises, worldwide assaults on women’s rights – the most recent fashion month was a fitting tribute to the displays for which the industry is revered. This was a fashion month that was awash with real clothes – for the most part anyway, this is fashion after all – that were designed for real people and real lives with just a squeeze of lime and a hint of cheek.

Across the board, there were diktats from the denizens of the fashion world to re-engage with nature: in Copenhagen, Samsøe Samsøe’s show was called Gone Fishing; in New York, Maryam Nassir Zadeh started her press release with the word ‘waves’ – a nod to more than just the azure tides lapping the shore; and in London, Riccardo Tisci drew inspiration from the British beach for what transpired to be his final collection for Burberry. There are few sources of inspiration as plentiful and restorative as those provided by Mother Nature herself, but this being an industry that can’t help but push boundaries and expectations, these trends are indicative of the world we live in today: not unfamiliar, but establishing new frontiers every day.

From bursts of lime to shimmering sequins: these 5 spring/summer 2023 trends will be everywhere next year