John Lewis just reinvented occasionwear – the ‘game-changing’ Violetta matching set is in our basket already

And now we can! Yes, this is John Lewis & Partners occasionwear, but you won’t find traditional mother-of-the-bride dresses in this new range, which arrived on the retailer’s website today.

In fact, John Lewis & Partners’ design team created this special collection of alternative occasionwear heroes – including a flowy butter-yellow trouser suit, an elegant floral wide-leg trousers and matching top ensemble and a swingy silk trapeze dress – in response to search data from their website. In other words, this is what you want to wear to special occasions, and we’ve been waiting to tell you about it for months!

‘We saw a gap in our own brand offering for beautiful, high-quality occasionwear pieces that are bit different,’ says Queralt Ferrer, design director at John Lewis & Partners.

Well, they’ve definitely delivered. Take the floaty floral ‘Violetta’ matching top and trousers. Approved by the Good Housekeeping team as a modern classic, this ensemble works for a summer wedding look and – bonus! – the pieces can be worn separately and brought on holiday; the trousers would pair well with strappy sandals, a white T-shirt and a straw tote bag, while the top would look sleek with shorts or a skirt. The asymmetric lilac skirt features a floaty sheer panel – taking inspiration from luxury houses such as Dior, Valentino and Prada – and will work equally well for summer nights and dressy occasions. If you’re partial to a more tailored look for event dressing, the soft yellow suit with a tie belt is a modern twist to that mother-of-the-bride outfit you’re searching for.

This highly curated collection of 27 pieces is, we think, very special. It offers the trending shades of the season, such as butter yellow, soft lilac and lace, and is complemented by both gold and silver accessories. We highly recommend you look at the collection today – it’s breezy, elevated and will give your style a little nudge out of your comfort zone. And that’s always a good thing.

From £79 to £299, shop John Lewis & Partners now for fresh occasionwear for your next summer event.