Heavy Petal: Nothing says summer like a free spirited floral dress

Nothing says summer like a free spirited floral dress and the more varied the motifs, the greater the display. So if your choice is for dandelions, daisies or strawberries, it’s time to ditch the heavy monochromes of winter and lift the spirits with lighter tones and optimistic, brighter prints.

These vintage style kaleidoscopic florals from FeRi conjure up carefree times and are ideal for summer parties or weddings whether a long maxi, a shorter baby doll length or just a bold printed top uplifting a pair of dark jeans or trousers. “It’s a high summer farm girl vibe inspired by hot summer days and strawberry picking” says designer Faye Rochford of FeRi, herself a Wexford girl, one of four daughters of a farmer and teacher who learned early on to be resourceful and thrifty. She has injected what she calls “fantasy floral energy” into her work, evident in the dresses handmade in India and in the more workmanlike overalls which are made in Ireland from Irish deadstock linen.

Called Strawberry Fields, it’s her biggest collection since she launched FeRi two years ago and features her original hand-painted prints in citrus shades and purple tones on natural fabrics. Some patchworked panelled dresses including the new full skirted silhouette as well as her more familiar bias cuts are trimmed with lace or statement sleeves for an additional flourish.

Rochford is committed to slow fashion using natural, upcycled and deadstock fabrics. An NCAD graduate in 2009 whose thesis was on “Remade Culture in 20th Century Ireland Farming Communities”, she has over thirteen years of experience in the fashion industry in Dublin, London, Paris, New York and Philadelphia including stints with Diane Von Furstenberg, Philip Treacy and Primark.

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Most recently her second collection has been launched in the Anthropologie stores. All her dresses are made using organic orange crepe lined with organic cotton and digitally printed in FeRi hand-painted prints. They can be found online at feri.ie. on Instagram, on anthropologie.com and in Muse, Waterford.