Aqua and teal to rule this spring

If the gurus at Pantone have anything to do with it, the coming months will bring dreams of tropical waters and lush Caribbean backdrops.

The design industry's authority on colour standards proclaimed turquoise as the colour of the year for 2010, and spring merchandise has captured the hue's aura of escapism, infusing shades of aqua and teal into chunky jewellery, graphic prints and exotic textures.

Designer Lela Rose's spring collection, for example, focuses on feminine silhouettes punctuated by floral patterns, shimmer and ruffles in saturated colours.