Most accessible trend: Wrinkled clothing
As seen at: The Row, Burberry, Prada
Put away that ironing board and set aside the steamer – designers are saying creased clothing is in. The Row – usually as immaculate as the fast-walking, fast-talking New Yorker it’s made for – showed crumpled clothes, Burberry didn’t bother steaming its slip dresses and Miuccia Prada and co-designer Raf Simons put creases in almost all their runway hits, from midis to jumpsuits. Simons explained afterwards that the creases show “pieces that have had a life.”
Invest in: Oversized or men’s cotton and linen shirts; wide-leg trousers; easy-wear slip dresses; not a fancy steamer.
The forever trend: Female power
As seen at: Dior, Chloé, Saint Laurent
Women’s rights are being rolled back or threatened around the world, but fashion has taken a stand: female power is in. Maria Grazia Chiuri – always a champion for feminism – took Catherine de’ Medici, the 16th century’s most powerful woman, as inspiration, with Dior’s catwalk showing structured corsets with full skirts, flowing trousers, and full cotton shirts. At Chloé, Gabriela Hearst took a more literal inspiration for power by turning her gaze to nuclear fusion and creating dresses studded with grommets or made from silver mesh. For Saint Laurent, Anthony Vaccarello created floor-length silk jersey knit dresses striking in their jewelled colourways of olive green and oxblood, with powerful shoulders announcing their presence.
Invest in: Power shoulders; floor-length, body-skimming dresses and coats; platform heels; proper underwear.
The party trend: Elegance meets comfort
As seen at: Jason Wu, Fendi, Michael Kors
New York wanted to show that the party is back – and designers announced it with edgy midi dresses in strappy white (Jason Wu) and off-the-shoulder black (Khaite). The ultimate party bag – the tiny Fendi Baguette – enjoyed the spotlight of its 25th anniversary, reminding everyone that you don’t need much more than a red lip and a tiny flip phone to have fun. Altuzarra brought the fun with jazzy, matchy separates in slouchy shapes, while Michael Kors paired flirty fringed skirts with blazers and open-to-the-bellybutton shirts.
Invest in: Little black midi dresses; a bag big enough for lipstick and a credit card.
The body-positive trend: Ultra-minis, crop tops and see-through fabrics
As seen at: Miu Miu, Valentino, Loewe, Chanel
The miniest of miniskirts are going nowhere, with Miu Miu, Valentino, Loewe and Louis Vuitton showing tiny versions, while sheer fabrics at Chanel, Stella McCartney and Tory Burch put everything on display. It was midriffs aplenty at Zimmermann and Miu Miu, and playful shorts at Chanel, with Victoria Beckham even forgoing shirts under her blazers. The encouraging news? While diversity was still just a tick-box and lots of labels, not all the bared bodies were model skinny or white – this season, feeling joy in your skin and celebrating its beauty is in.
Invest in: Sheer long-sleeve tops; flat knee-high boots to balance the very mini miniskirts; Pilates classes.
The most fun trend: Standout accessories
As seen at: Moschino, Alaïa, Marc Jacobs
Perilous platforms at Marc Jacobs, sculptural bags at Loewe, bulbous bangles at Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello… The runways were not all about clothes, as accessories were shown in avant garde designs and materials – Pieter Mulier created laser-cut leather bracelets for Alaïa, while at Gucci, Alessandro Michele put furry gremlins on belts and in bags and Lanvin showed bedazzled bucket hats.
Invest in: More-is-more jewellery, preferably in animal shapes and forms; ceiling-high platforms.
