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So long, quiet luxury!
As the month-long marathon of fashion comes to an end, we can’t help but feel inspired by the many standout styles that walked the runways. It can often feel that designers are all designing within an echo chamber. However, this season, the confidence in the collections delivered a loud and clear message—so long, quiet luxury!
Clothes felt fun again, like in Chemena Kamali’s debut collection at Chloé, where bohemian chic made a bold return, and also at Nichola’s Ghesquire’s 10th-anniversary collection, where the creative phenom showcased some of his greatest surrealist hits for the brand. Elsewhere, designers tested the limits of textiles with outlandish knits made from looped fibers at Alaïa and Missoni, the new notions of daywear from the likes of Balenciaga and Dries Van Noten to the fabulous faux fur options seen at Glenn Marten’s Diesel and Acne Studios which not only looked real but looked cool. Coach and Prada’s beautiful bows are perfect for parties, while power suits from Dior and Max Mara were made to rule the C-suite. No matter the occasion or personality type, there seemed to be a trend for all.
Ahead, we've rounded up the best runway fashion trends that will not only dominate the fall season but your wardrobe as well.
Best in Bow
On the runways, beautiful bow outfits seemed to come in all hues and sizes, proving that the twee trend is certainly going anywhere and is instead being reinterpreted for now. The divine fall collection from Prada took fashions from the past and brought them firmly into the future with a subversive collection that made us rethink the notions of girlhood with boldly colored cardigans, smart skirts, pretty purses, and, of course, satin bows that were elevated from simple adornment to chic conversation starters. Stuart Vevers took his affections for knots to 80s prom proportions at the Coach show, with models parading about in silk taffeta skirts, taking bows beyond the prim and proper scale, blowing them up to gigantic proportions while at Vivienne Westwood Creative Director Andreas Kronthaler took bows to the Victorian era with regal confections splattered with satin silks.
Faux Fabulous
The fashion industry is firmly moving away from real fur and instead is rushing toward the future of textiles with mindblowing faux fur offerings that not only look lush but also push the limits of how we view engineered fabric. Acne Studios sought out outrageous faux fur silhouettes with their ready-to-wear that morphed models into fuzzy figures with oversized outerwear. Deisel's fall collection was the curation of creative director Glenn Marten's obsession with creative craft. Denim was distressed beyond recognition, jackets made sheer through acid burnouts and clothing covered in shaggy yak-like material that evoked the club kid aesthetic of the '90s but felt new for now. Miu Miu models walked out in utterly convincing faux fur coats that cleverly mimicked the Mob Wife aesthetic in a more modern way with a head-to-hem fur chubby and pencil skirt look speckled with retro brooches.
In the Loop
Looped knits took shape in an array of different shapes, from grand coats to column dresses. What we love about this trend is how the dedication to design can truly change the notions of what textiles can transform into. Take, for instance, how a strand of merino wool can become a punchy pom-pom collar or cuff seen on the outerwear and dresses from Pieter Mulier's collection for the house of Alaïa. Evening dressing was reimagined at Missoni where looks were comprised of countless loops of knit. The end result came across as a full sensory sensation. Speaking of sensations, there were the grand moments at Stella McCartney that spoke to the brand's fur-refusal and instead mimicked it using yarn-like materials that still delivered the same drama.
La Bohème
Boho-chic made a bold return on the runway, giving us delicate and powerful clothes that feature the female form in a celebratory fashion. Flowy fabrics, from sheer to printed, felt light and airy, and frilly flounces like fringe and ruffles gave vibrant movement to the looks, breaking the constrictive mold of what the fall collections typically offer. Etro and Rabanne both took a free-spirited approach with their collections having models wrapped in paisley prints from head-to-toe or draped in fringed fabrics all of which defied conventional norms without sacrificing style. Chemena Kamali's debut at Chloé won rave reviews for its carefree bohemian attitude, dramatic designs, and, most importantly of all, for displaying pieces that people will actually want to wear, from flowy frocks and poet blouses to killer jeans.
Molten Metallics
Models in metallics weren't in your typical futuristic metallics that feel rigid and look robotic; rather, the pieces from designers conjured up fabrics that mirrored molten metals that looked like they were poured upon their frocks and suits, giving the clothes a fluid, bold texture that felt like an innovative approach to such a tried and true trend. Jason Wu's dresses had ladylike silhouettes that felt familiar but glowed like gilded gold, giving them new life. At Ferrari, models rushed by in sharp, shimmering silver suits that reminded us of shining race cars speeding toward the finish line. Movement was also implied by the crinkled texture of the pieces. A medal for metallics also goes to Louis Vuitton, where for his 10th-anniversary collection, Nicolas Ghesquière celebrated his success with the brand with a showcase of marvelous metallic moments that featured balloon-like sleeves, tailored trousers, and showy sequins.
New Normal
A trend that will indeed cause commotion is a transformation that everyday items we wear undertake. No longer are closet essentials like hoodies and T-shirts considered 'basic' and, instead, were transformed into showstopping pieces by melding them together like at Balenciaga, where three hoodies joined forces to create a punk-ish dress or at Dries Van Noten, where the mundanity of the piece became something to marvel at with its oversized shape and dramatic draping. Pierpaolo Piccioli evolved the classic black hoodie into a sultry eveningwear option, rendering it in shiny satin with a long train giving a relaxed but elegant attitude.
Office Party
Elsewhere in the ready-to-wear realm, classic officewear separates like tailored coats and fitted jumpsuits felt festive when styled with tinsel-like fringe boas and seen at Tory Burch or the long-sleeved boleros at Sportmax that balanced out the starkness of the ready-to-wear with flashes of sparkle. Both brands had plenty to celebrate as they sent models in clothing that celebrated the simple act of getting dressed with fun, exciting energy. Jun Takahashi took this idea of dressing to the extreme at the Undercover show, where officewear offerings exploded with a fabulous flare for maximum wow factor. These collections go to show that getting dressed for the office, or for any situation really, should be celebrated.
Power Players
Take your professional wardrobe to the next level with power suits that range from sharp to relaxed to oversized—whatever style you choose; you'll be sure to radiate confidence in the c-suite. Schiaparelli's suits paralleled the Wall Street tycoons of the 1980s with stark pinstripes and exaggerated shoulders while the separates at Max Mara were generously cut to provide extra drama and extra freedom to move chicly about one's day without any fuss. Maria Grazia Chiuri also considered travel with her collection for Dior, sending out models in suits that looked like they were bound for a jet-set spree around the globe or off to an evening cocktail.
Sage Advice
While there were still plenty of red and orange hues throughout the collections, we found the swaths of sage green to be a new color to consider. Known to represent wisdom, intelligence, and experience, designers utilized this soft shade of green in clothes that were not only meant to provide coverage but to harness the protective properties of the hue. Sage set the stage at the Jil Sander show, where the entire venue was awash in color and was also seen throughout much of the collection, such as the cocoon-like quilted outerwear and knits, which exuded an ethereal yet strong energy. Protection also came to mind with Balmain shielding models' bodies and giving them new shapes in shades of sage. Simone Rocha also imbued her collection with color, rendering billowy taffeta frocks into sweet and thoughtful confections.
Sparkling Sets
Twinsets never looked as good as they did on the designer runways. Brands took long-sleeved cardigans, sweaters, and mini-shorts and bedazzled them with brilliant beading and extravagant embellishment. For Sabato De Sarno's sophomore collection at Gucci, he took powdery-colored sets and sprinkled tiny sequins all over, which gave them an optimistic energy, while at Ermanno Scervino, larger palette sequins made the clothes glow with a head-turning pearlescent brightness. Donatella Versace took her twinsets to a grungier place with darker knits and black beading, giving the clothes a rebellious yet glamorous vibe.
Toggle On
The fall season always has tons of coats to consider, from the trench variety to the ones to wear to the opera, but it was the new takes on the classic toggle coat that caught our eye. Long thought of as a nautical fixture, the toggle coat was revisioned as an outerwear option for every environment and occasion. Joseph Altuzarra playfully styled his toggle coats with ruffled blouses that added an eclectic charm, while Victoria Beckham made her minimalistic shells that looked sleek and dramatic with a crisp collared hood. Daniel Lee took his toggle coats for Burberry's into stylish terrain with contrasting leather patches and a faux fur collar, making them perfect for outdoor activities without losing any fashion points.