[Photo provided to China Daily]

Though it may feel like we're just entering the hibernation period, the fashion world never sleeps. Enter the spring 2018 collections from Marni, Simonetta Ravizza, Fendi, Simone Rocha and Giambattista Valli, in which material and colour both play key roles, while contemporary romantic motifs are giving us glimpses of what's to come.

The combination of light and heavy materials is a theme for spring – silk, knit, wool, leather, and especially fur – that served as the luxurious drawing board for Marni, Simonetta Ravizza and Fendi. A modern colour palette prevails, too, from soft rosy touches (such as Giambattista Valli's pastel pink) to strong, luscious hues that emphasise contrast. And let's not forget the garden fairies and flowers in the ultimate toast to spring. Floral motifs prevailed, especially at Simone Rocha, where the elegantly quirky silhouettes are inspiring a rethink of romanticism.

Cheerful, elegant, sumptuous – if these collections aren't an indicator of good fortune to come next year, at the very least they’ll make for an especially beautiful spring.