Though almost nothing about Fashion Month looks like it did pre-COVID, one thing has remained constant about the biannual event: the arrival of new fashion trends. There are almost no in-person shows, and many presentations were taped long before official calendars commenced, and yet, just as they did a year ago — before the pandemic firmly took hold — this season’s collections were full of pieces for us to covet and copy come fall ‘21.
According to some designers, autumn’s fashion landscape will remain steadfast in its pursuit of comfort, with brands like Staud, Sandy Liang, and Bevza debuting cloud-like pieces that look to be the sartorial equivalent of a hug. On the other end of the spectrum, designers are looking ahead, to a time when we have a reason to dress up again. Glamorous looks, ranging from bedazzled accoutrements to ‘80s-esque mini dresses in vibrant shades and bold prints, appeared on runways at Claudia Li, Alice + Olivia, and Prabal Gurung.
Other statement-making extras arrived in the form of stockings of all types, from knee-high socks at Sandy Liang to tie-dye tights at Maisie Wilen; oversized scarves at The Row, Ganni, and Ka Wa Key; and matching sets that are perfect for both lockdown and non-lockdown activities. But we’ve already given too much away.
Click ahead to find out which trends we’ll be wearing next fall.
’80s Glam
Though many look down upon the ‘80s and its sometimes-puzzling trends — belts over cable knit sweaters paired with stirrup leggings, anyone? — there’s something to be said about the era’s party aesthetic. Knowing that we can’t wait to dress up in glamorous nighttime looks again, designers showcased bejeweled mini dresses at Alice + Olivia and polka dot frocks paired with elbow-length gloves at Prabal Gurung.
Prabal Gurung
Puffers
In 2021, we miss hugs. Unfortunately, given the whole six-feet-apart rule, receiving one from someone who isn’t in your pod isn’t as easy (or safe) as it once was. That’s where puffers come in. Sure, they’ll keep you warm on a cold day, but this season’s jacket selection — which comes with pillow-like bags, scarves, and more — will also cradle you in a tight embrace of style and comfort. Photo: Courtesy of Staud.
DIY
Blame it on all the time we’ve been spending at home, sitting at our makeshift craft tables, and slowly making our way through Pinterest, but designers are bringing DIY to the runway — and not just in the form of tie-dye (though there is plenty of that, too, this season). Rather, it’s crystal detailing, crochet work, quilted fabrics, and more that popped up during Fashion Month, where Claudia Li added gemstone bows to duvet outerwear and SoCal designer Stan upcycled quilts to create jackets and trousers.
Claudia LiPhotography by: Benn Jae.
Matching Sets
Matching sets have become a quarantine fashion mainstay — and they’re only getting more stylish. Easy to throw on, put-together, and effortlessly chic, co-ords make an obvious choice for designers trying to predict what our wardrobes will look like six months on. Expect knitwear (Victor Glemaud), fleece (Staud), and leather at (Ganni).
Victor GlemaudPhoto: Courtesy of Victor Glemaud
Tights
With the Gossip Girl reboot on the way, we should’ve expected that hosiery in all fabric- and colorways would make it to runways during Fashion Month. At Maisie Wilen, tie-dye and mismatched tights were combined with skirt sets and pastel-colored lace-up sandals, adding up to optimistic looks capable of saving us from even the grayest of fall days. Knee-length, sheer socks adorned the legs of models at Sandy Liang, who finished off the prep-school look with Mary-Janes and patent leather clogs. Ulla Johnson, Bronx and Banco, and Dirty Pineapple, too, added tights to the mix for fall ‘21.
Maisie WilenPhotography by: Zev Schmidtz
Big Shoes
Only in quarantine, when shoes don’t have to be practical, would bulbous footwear — the kind that will almost certainly give you shin splints if you wear them too often — be trending on runways. For Ambush’s menswear show, models were decked out in Puddle Boot-like rainboots that looked more like clown shoes (in a chic way) than Wellies. PH5 saw models clomping on an all-white set in matching clogs with epic proportions. Similarly-sized clogs were also spotted at Area’s first “couture” show in January, though theirs were metallic and included gemstones. Suffice to say, if spring ‘21 saw the rise of the big bag, fall ‘21 will bring about its successor: the big shoe.
PH5Photography by: Lee Kun Seok.
Statement Scarves
Lenny Kravitz called, he wants his scarf back. At Y/Project’s menswear collection in January, oversized scarves hid the models’ faces completely. At Ganni and The Row, fashion’s favorite designers turned the standard winter accessory into even more of a statement, creating sweater-scarf hybrids that will have you asking, Where does my scarf end and my sweater begin? London-based designer Ka Wa Key followed suit, attaching rainbow, fuzzy scarves around the necks, heads, and bodies of its fall ‘21 lineup of models. Photo: Courtesy of The Row.
Tranquil Fashion
While the maximalist aesthetic is currently trending, designers at Bevza, The Row, and Rosetta Getty envisioned a more tranquil wardrobe of essentials for fall. The result? Soft, cozy fabrics — in the form of knit hoods, sweater dresses, and coats — in visually calming, monochrome color palettes — from cool grays to warm oatmeals.
BevzaPhoto: Courtesy of Bevza.
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