Penney’s Street party celebrations – retro-style

Penneys preview of its summer collections, its exotic prints and hothouse florals inspired by Caribbean and African influences, took place among the rhododendrons in the Turner glasshouses of the Botanical Gardens in Glasnevin, Dublin, yesterday.

Pineapple and photographic prints, animal and Aztec motifs decorated everything from dungarees, shirt dresses and kaftans to swimsuits and bikinis, a global potpourri reflecting the brand’s growing international expansion.

Images of street celebrations, Caribbean and South American, from Rio to Notting Hill, drove ideas like the little lace bandeau tops worn with tapestry miniskirts (€7 and €9), sheer maxi shirt dresses (€15 and €17), cute African print playsuits (€7) and hibiscus print tie-front dresses (€13).

Swimwear was strong from revamped retro-style long-line bikini tops and high-waisted briefs (€7 and €5), to cut-out one pieces in graphic black and white stripes or landscape horse prints (€14).

Best of all were the accessories, headbands, headscarves and turbans in hot summer colours worn with hoop earrings, trainers or wedged espadrilles. The collections go in store from now until June.

Penneys, trading as Primark, has now more than 270 stores across nine countries. Having established nearly 40 in Spain and 10 in Germany alone, it continues to make inroads into the Dutch and French markets.

This week it opened its seventh in the Netherlands, in Nijmegen, and its third in France in Aulnay sous Bois, following Marseille in December and Dijon in February.

Its fourth French store opens next Wednesday at Villeneuve La Garenne and a fifth, in Creteil, Paris, is due to open in June.