[gallery size="medium" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" td_gallery_title_input="Fashion Trends" ids="72437,72438,72439,72440"] Mariam Nihal Summer is a special occasion for all fashion lovers. This is when fashion statements are made and runway trends are taken to the streets. Not only is it extremely important to keep your style relevant yet personal, it is imperative to know what trends are critical to this season. This calls for an experienced fashion point of view. In an exclusive interview with Lisa Aiken, retail fashion director, Net-A-Porter, we bring some of the biggest international trends for Saudi fashionistas and find you a place where you can buy them first. Not only do the biggest brands launch a capsule collection exclusively with Net-A-Porter, it is also the best place to find limited edition beauty products that are sold-out in stores. Born and brought up in Newcastle upon Tyne, Aiken studied BA in Fashion Management at London College of Fashion. She interned at Matches and worked her way up from marketing executive to fashion editor. She has also worked atMyTheresa.com for the international market. In 2015, she became style director at The Edit, Net-A-Porter's weekly online magazine and this year she was appointed retail fashion director of the giant online retail. She works with 12 members of the buying team to offer her and ensure that the buy is relevant for global customers throughout the year. She told Saudi Gazette that since its launch, Net-A-Porter have always provided women with a global perspective on fashion and style. "Through our creative content via the site, The Edit, Porter Magazine, mobile apps and The Net Set we inspire women daily, wherever they are in the world to be more daring and confident with their fashion choices. We provide women with a global point of view, so whether you're shopping in the US or in the Middle East, every woman has the opportunity to shop from the same incredible luxury edit and receive the same experience." Aiken revealed the most interesting brands and trends to watch out for in 2016. "Balenciaga in general is very exciting at the moment, especially since the new proposition. Demna Gvasalia has really injected the house with a fresh and interesting point of view. The FW16 collection has a mix of sport counterbalanced with minimalism, which is a big trend we are seeing at the moment. I expect the puffa jacket to be the trophy piece of the season. In the next few months we are also introducing a few of our recent finds including Attico, Beaufille, Magda Butrym, Off-White, Facetasm and Atlein." She said creating the future of fashion is part of the Net-A-Porter DNA. They tend to look for what consumers need and fill the gap before others can. Recently, Alessandro Michele designed an exclusive capsule collection that is only available at Net-A-Porter. Founder of the Green Carpet Challenge, Livia Firthteamed up with some of the most celebrated names in British fashion to create a capsule collection available exclusively at Net-A-Porter. Christopher Bailey, Christopher Kane, Erdem, Roland Mouret and Victoria Beckham will each design two pieces in accordance with the GCC ethical benchmarking. "Last year we launched our own social shopping network, The Net Set. Prior to that we launched our sports category in July 2014; we knew then that our customers around the world had become more active and spotted a gap in the market for being a one-stop shop for workout gear. And in March 2013 we launched ourbeauty category, which now consists of over 200 brands. We're always in the process of change, whether we're launching a new category to the site or a special exclusive capsule collection." Considering the world of fashion is much more diverse now, Aiken tells us what exactly has changed. "In the 80's there were only a few genres but over the last few decades there has been an evolution of trends and ideas. Women now look to so many different sources for their fashion inspiration and as a result fashion has become much more about personal style." Having said that, her personal style is constantly evolving. We asked if that helps determine her buying choices. "I do admire women who have a very defined look that they stick to every day, however I love experimenting with new trends and ideas each season brings. When it comes to the buy for Net-A-Porter, we consider our customers first and what they want, my gut reaction comes second. It's a balance of both. My personal taste definitely encourages my passion in certain brands." Aiken dreams to secure Net-A-Porter as the destination for new discoveries and for brands that one can't find anywhere else.
