Thoughts off the runway shows
Miu Miu by Steven Meisel
September marks the return to school. For the fashion industry, it's a return to business as well. The spring/summer shows for the upcoming year take place in the ninth month. Now that it's come to an end, this international fashion week (or rather, month) has provided us with more than a few clear insights. The industry is undergoing changes like never before, and some of the conclusions may surprise you.
Today, we discuss some key takeaways from this latest fashion week and what it signifies for the fashion industry:
Changes galore
Gabriela Hearst departs Chloé. Sarah Burton leaves McQueen. Rhuigi Villaseñor parted ways with Bally. Ludovic de Saint Sernin no longer heads Ann Demeulemeester. Jeremy Scott will no longer be involved with Moschino. This season was one of closures and endings, highlighting the accelerated nature of the industry. It's worth noting, however, that the average tenure of designers in a maison is becoming increasingly brief. Some experts condemn this practice, arguing that creatives now lack the space and time to flourish and explore their creativity.
Gucci's first campaign by Sabato de Sarno - Daria Werbowy by David Sims
But it has also been a month of fresh beginnings. Peter Do debuts at Helmut Lang. Sabato de Sarno launches his first Gucci show. Louise Trotter starts at Carven. Today, emerging fashion talents have an extra layer of pressure. The prevalence of social media and the constant quest for virality add another dimension to the presentations. However, this season we've seen once again that less is often more.
Timeless fashion. But, truly
From one end to the other, especially since around 2020, the preference in fashion has been for the classic and timeless. The silhouettes of the '90s return inspired by style icons like Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Moss, or Christy Turlington. In 2021, Prada relaunches its Re-Edition 1995 as a tribute to Bessette-Kennedy. The demand for The Row's clothing has skyrocketed. Bottega Veneta entered a new creative phase with Matthieu Blazy...
Bottega Veneta by Louise & Maria Thornfield
The trend of timelessness has become more prevalent than ever (no pun intended). Social movements and the global landscape, coupled with greater access to fashion information and education, have favored a slowdown in the consumption of trendy pieces. The fashion customer now prefers timeless pieces; silhouettes and colors that are versatile in their wardrobe.
Digitized fashion, and novel business models like see now, buy now, have also not gained the traction expected. The industry's clientele still prefers the more natural order of collections and a physical experience with clothing.
‘Quiet luxury’ and accents of colour
TikTok is responsible for a wave of micro-trends that gain popularity every week. As the new influential social network, its trends are often short-lived but intense. The app employs an algorithm that inundates us with what it deems of interest to us. Thus, each trend has a brief yet vigorous lifecycle.
The Loewe Puzzle Fold bag
However, a fashion trend that has been on the rise is the so-called quiet luxury, which seeks quality and discretion outside of instantly recognizable logos and brands. "If you know, you know" is the emblem of this movement. This philosophy fits within the new preference for the timeless, with labels like Bottega Veneta, The Row, Max Mara, and Jil Sander leading many lists.
Neutral colour palettes such as beige, off-whites, browns, blacks, and grays are complemented by touches of current colours, such as cherry red and pistachio green. This combination of visual simplicity in monochromatic ensembles, along with the reinterpretation of classic silhouettes, is very much en vogue.
