With the stylish blue and white of Wedgwood chic so in vogue for this summer, Lisa Haynes reveals the best in china-inspired prints

WITH each fashion season there are mainstream looks, and then there are niche trends.

The latter start off small, with individual pieces becoming so popular they can end up like collectors’ items.

Which is rather apt, as the burgeoning china blue trend is inspired by expensive things.

Fashioned in porcelain-esque chinoiserie designs, these intricate prints look like something out of your granny’s prized crockery collection, or even a museum of fine art.

It’s not the first time fashion has flirted with porcelain. Victoria Beckham grabbed the red carpet headlines in 2005 by wearing a Roberto Cavalli gown that resembled a Ming vase for Elton John’s summer ball.

Thankfully, this season’s blue and white tributes are more understated in contemporary silhouettes – see Alesha Dixon, for a modern-day masterclass.

Pretty florals, farmhouse motifs or Oriental style prints – anything goes as long as it’s blue accents set against an ivory backdrop.