GROWN-UP GLAMOR
There is a definite return to elegance this fall, as environmentally and socially conscious dressing comes to the fore. In a bid to make clothes last longer and be more re-wearable, finesse was a major focus of international fashion weeks. Mix-and-match blazers and trenches were the outwear pieces of choice. Puffed sleeves added a vibe of vintage femininity at Regina Pyo, Chloé injected a classic country-girl feel, and Dior’s collection was all relaxed tailored shapes — all of which pointed towards a trend of effortless yet sophisticated dressing. Marc Jacobs — one of the stand out shows of New York Fashion Week — showed a retro Sixties-inspired collection (pictured) in beautiful pastel colors with pops of red. His shift silhouettes and straight-leg trousers were made for modern-day Jackie Kennedys. And this glam-but-grown-up retro inspiration continued in Paris as Celine’s creative director Hedi Slimane looked to the Sixties and Seventies.
SUPER STRIPES
As fashion’s co-dependent relationship with Instagram continues, patterns are now considered a must for any collection — they just make for better pictures. Bold and beautiful stripes will dominate later this year, juding by the fashion-week catwalks. Coach showed head-to-toe stripes, while horizontal stripes were favored by the fashion power pack in London, with Erdem, Molly Goddard and Robert Quinn all referencing to rugby-shirt styles. Italy’s Versace (pictured) stayed true to its maximalist roots — its paneled stripe denims will be all over streetwear blogs next season, and its green, diagonally striped, shiny micro-mini dress is bound to end up on an A-list celebrity during the festive months.
ODE TO AUTUMN
The traditional color palette of fall is on the minds of designers in every major fashion capital. Beautiful russets, chestnut browns and leafy greens added some cozy lux to the collections of Burberry (pictured), Jonathan Simkai, Chloé and Dior.
Dior’s creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri is known for making statements with her clothes, and she kept her designs relatively modest this season, with a muted color palette. Shades of brown played an important role — mature overtones, but rich and abundant, and perfect for the Dior no-nonsense woman. At Chloé — whose collection was themed around modern femininity — colors more often associated with a man’s wardrobe were adjusted to fit seamlessly into the wardrobe of today’s thinking woman. It seems this season will be all about ‘50 shades of brown.’
In keeping with foliage-friendly palettes, there were stong nods for olive and forest green too, particularly from red-carpet favorite Brandon Maxwell and Spanish fashion house Loewe, while over at Burberry it was the color of choice for a power suit (pictured).
KEEP YOUR WASTE SIZE DOWN
As fashion wakes up to the damage over-consumption has caused, recycling or upcycling is becoming hugely important. Gabriela Hearst used recycled cashmere pieces and antique pieces of kilim rugs in her collection — a lesson in repurposing. Her tailored designs were beautiful and timeless. Johnathan Cohen used upcycled cashmere for his knits too. Marni’s show (pictured) in Milan was about finding beauty in leftovers: Patchworked surplus fabrics were this design house’s favored technique and will remain a significant trend as fashion looks to become zero-waste compliant. London Fashion Week held its first five-day clothes swap and it proved to be one the highlights of fashion month. In Paris, Vivienne Westwood used eco-friendly fabrics for her collection, while Balenciaga took things a step further, showing a mostly black collection on a ramp that was flooded to highlight the issue of climate change. A-list guests including Kim Kardashian West had to sit on row three, as water engulfed the first two rows of the show area.
WRAP IT UP
There’s something about a cape: Wear one and you instantly feel like you have superpowers. That may be why it was such a popuar style at Fall/Winter catwalk shows. Drape over one shoulder for a casual feel as Proenza Schouler did; add neck-tie detail à la Rodarte for a more formal feel; or snuggle in a Max Mara blanket-like cape. Rick Owens pushed it further, creating a huge puffer version (pictured) and teaming it with boots made out of recycled plastic. Embrace your inner supergirl — and stay warm — with a cape this Fall/Winter.
JOIN THE BOOT CAMP
Yes, it’s an obvious trend for Fall/Winter — but fashion is betting big on boots this year. For the outdoors type to the super-girlie girl, there’s a pair of boots to match everyone. You’ll be spoilt for choice. Whether it’s Brunello Cucinelli’s luxe take on the hiking boot, Gucci’s more ladylike two-tone look with bow detail, or Tod’s clean-and-classic effort (pictured), there is definitely a high-fashion boot you will “fall” for this season.
GLOVE LOVE
The long glove was definitely ‘having a moment’ on the Fall/Winter catwalks. Marc Jacobs paired his long black dress — which seemed like an homage to Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” — with long white gloves, Valentino went for blood-red ones, and at Lanvin’s show (pictured), nearly every look was finished off with a pair of leather gloves, often in colors contrasted strongly with the rest of the outfit, ensuring they drew the eye.
