Looking ahead to Spring/Summer 2023, womenswear designers are embracing the feminine form, reinventing classic staples, updating whimsical creativity as well as leaning in to a love for leather and the punk aesthetic. Ahead, discover our four trend stories –– and you can download the full report with all the fashion trends you can't miss, and, of course, data-backed direction here.
New Foundations
There's no need to reinvent the wheel when you can simply put your own spin on it. As we emerge into a new life, society is re-evaluating foundations, whether that be through our values, work-life balance, or our wardrobes. This season, designers are encouraging us to get reacquainted with foundational staples like the white button-down or t-shirt, the perfect pair of denim, and suiting that feels empowered and revitalized for taking on life's next chapter. Designers like Rokh, Tibi, Peter Do, and Chanel brought fresh takes to the classics through color-blocking, remixed hemlines, pleating, and portion play that put meaning back into the term "what's old is new again."
Feminine Form
Forget Barbiecore, there's a new celebration of femininity on the runways. This season, there's been a revitalization of lace and silhouettes of a bygone era (looking at you, Christian Dior), nods to sweet details like hearts at Nensi Dojaka, and most notably, the shift to maxi lengths that are punctuated with entirely sheer fabrications – giving name to the "naked dress". Case in point, ditch the club-ready micro-mini dress here and embrace the feminine form through the expression of curvature and luxurious details alike.
Creative Spark
Who says style must be serious business? Certainly not the runways of SS23. This season encouraged designers to look at their collection through a light-hearted lens. Tongue-in-cheek accessories were key from Puppets & Puppets' cookie printed handbag (honorable mention for the Collina Strada broccoli bag that wasn't actually real), Louis Vuitton's sartorial zippers, an ode to ruffles that was most notable in Paris, and over-the-top sculptural hairstyles seen at Christian Cowan or extra long locks at Blumarine. But, it's important to note that while these styles were a welcomed injection of fun, they were undoubtedly chic, too.
She Bites Back
There's a rebellious spirit in the air and it's no surprise that the fashion industry isn't holding back. While surely this has been translated through all-black styling, leather-on-leather looks, and grunge-feeling graphics, there's not the only notion that designers took to express themselves and stick up for their viewpoints. For example, Gabriela Hearst cast notable women like a climate activist and former Planned Parenthood president and Fe Noel closed the show with a statement-making gown of "money" representative of the wage gap between men and women. Whether literal or representative, it's undeniable that women are a force to be reckon with – this season and always.
Download the full report with all the fashion trends you can't miss, and, of course, data-backed direction here.
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