Blame Status Quo. Blame grunge. Above all, blame Christopher Kane’s continuing fascination with the clothes his babysitters wore circa 1989. But how will a summer full of bleached denim and ra-ra ruffles work on our streets? We ask the experts. . .

The buyer

Fleur McIntosh runs Godiva Boutique in Edinburgh’s West Port
‘Floral patterns are coming through much more, but then the catwalks were full of spots, stripes, stars and bright colours. It feels you could really have fun with them. I’ve just commissioned a line of ra-ra skirts, all made from recycled fabric, that are really cheap to make and sell really well, all one-offs with clashing colours and patterns.’

The visitor

New Yorker Aaron Buck is a textiles student at Glasgow School of Art and former designer for menswear company Jhane Barnes
‘What strikes me about fashion over here is that everyone tends to play it safe. I think Glasgow’s black and white obsession will ease a little with the sort of fashion coming out this summer will shake things up a bit. Bright colours, a bit of attitude. There’s a real spirit of fun. I like all the graphic prints in Oddities [Victoria Street, Edinburgh], and Che Camille [Saltmarket, Glasgow] is one of the best shops for one-off designer pieces. My buy of the season is actually a tartan golfing hat I found in the Edinburgh Woollen Mill. I picked up, like, four of them.’

The stylist

Hamish Carruthers is a stylist for Glasgow fashion PR company Hive
‘The pale denim thing is going to be big. Topshop have been really influenced by Christopher Kane and you can now buy his clothes at Harvey Nichols. And it’s good for men as well as women. The catwalks were full of raffia wedges, but I think people here will probably go for gladiator-style sandals. They’re edgier, and a bit more substantial. The other influential designer this season is Luella Bartley. Her new collection was full of very small, graphic florals, different from the 1950s look that’s been about. It’s still quite retro, though, very 1990s.’

The fashion student

Rachel Lamb is a graduating student on Edinburgh College of Art’s BA Fashion Design
‘I actually really want a bleached denim waistcoat for summer. I never thought I’d say that. I’m kind of intrigued by the ruffles, too. There’s something much looser happening. The most significant fashion event at street level this summer is going to be the Sex and the City movie. As soon as that comes out, whatever Carrie Bradshaw is wearing will make its way onto the streets.’