From Faux Fur Accessories to Well, Regular Clothes, These Are the Top Fall 2023 Trends
Although newer names on the fashion week calendar are challenging the notion, New York designers are known to produce highly commercial collections that resonate with the archetype of a busy, minimalist, jet-setting professional. While a significant number of brands have been indulging in unabashed glamour and club-friendly dressing since the pandemic, there was a noticeable return to normal clothes for fall 2023. That is, no-fuss seasonless pieces with enduring appeal.
Image Courtesy of Tory Burch
From Theory and Proenza Schouler to Tory Burch and Eckhaus Latta, tailored ensembles and sportswear-inspired separates dominated the fall 2023 catwalks. Even Laquan Smith, the king of skimpy after-dark dressing, gave a thought to his woman’s everyday wardrobe. “The Laquan Smith woman is growing,” he told Vogue Runway. Thus, he sent a purple two-piece set; a series of long coats; a few faux fur jackets, and sharp lapel blazers down the runway, alongside his usual mix of slinky mini dresses, low-slung skirts and bodysuits. Consumers will not have a shortage of cool and straightforward styles to choose from.
Courtesy of Laquan Smith/Don Ashby
If, on the other hand, you favor clothes that reveal rather than conceal, you can rejoice as designers leaned into a sort of hedonism that materialized as a variety of sheer ensembles. A slew of labels also catered to those looking for pieces that pack a personality punch. In fact, designers explored the world of animals, eggs and fruits during the fall 2023 season, bringing out the whacky side of fashion. At AREA, sculptural banana looks abounded as designer Piotrek Panszczyk pondered the symbolic meaning of fruits. Meanwhile at Collina Strada, the fauna theme was taken literally as models—clad in wild graphic prints and animal prosthetics—crawled, hopped, and glided past attendees. Other brands took a subtler approach, using a a host of prints from butterfly motifs as seen at Prabal Gurung to snakeskin prints as seen at Kim Shui and Dion Lee. Elsewhere, faux fur accessories were hard to miss; just ask Catherine Holstein of Khaite who fashioned pants and tops out of the material. Or Sandy Liang, who equipped her models with pink and purple furry pillow bags that will no doubt fly off the shelves.
As with every season, the sources of inspiration were diverse, so scroll through for the top fall 2023 trends, according to New Fashion Week.
Fall 2023 Trend: In the Nude
Skin is in, but it’s not like it never was. This season though, a notable number of designers have embraced nudity through the use of sheer materials. This was evident from the first look at Heron Preston (who made his runway debut this season): a black one-shoulder catsuit. Tia Adeola, who created a brand around female sexuality, built on her house codes with an array of see-through numbers that bare it all. Jason Wu took was on the same page as his second look consisted of a black sheer dress enhanced with fringe.
Fall 2023 Trend: In a Furry
It was almost impossible not to spot something furry at the shows. Real fur may be banned, but faux fur is here to stay—for better or worse. At Khaite, a long coat with strong shoulders set the tone for what would be a défilé of colorful fur clogs and fur-trimmed sandals, fur camisoles and pants. Heron Preston also had fun with his accessories, sending heavy fur boots and a green furry bag down the runway.
Fall 2023 Trend: Cape Town
Often associated with the Victorian era, capes were given new life in 2023. At Carolina Herrera, creative director Wes Gordon offered modern cape silhouettes in the form of silky high-octane dresses in vibrant shades of red and lime green. Meanwhile at Rodarte, lace was used to soften the typically austere garment. If capes have fallen out of fashion recently, the fall 2023 designers made a strong case for their comeback.
Fall 2023 Trend: Animal Kingdom
If the snakeskin prints present on the runways were any indication, fashion is obsessed with fauna again. Kim Shui fashioned them as tiny Y2K skirts and corseted ensembles, while Dion Lee designed accessories and edgy separates out of the pattern. The same motif appeared at Puppets & Puppets, where a sweetheart neckline jumpsuit stood out.
Fall 2023 Micro-Trend: Rosettes
Emerging from last season’s catwalks, rosettes bloomed again for fall 2023 as they embellished blazers, ballgowns, and minidresses at Puppets & Puppets, Christian Siriano and Sandy Liang, respectively. This trend continued at London Fashion Week, most notably at Richard Quinn and David Koma.
Fall 2023 Micro-Trend: Graphic Tights
They may sometimes get overlooked, but tights were a big trend this season—seen with logos at Area or constructed in lacy or sequin materials at Anna Sui. In every scenario, they were designed not only to complement the wearer’s outfit, but to make a statement.
Fall 2023 Micro-Trend: Crinkled Dresses
There was an undercurrent of imperfectly-made clothes at several shows, including Tory Burch, Simkhai (who recently dropped his first name from the label) and Proenza Schouler. Crinkled dresses appeared as a manifestation of the trend, seen in metallic fabrication at Simkhai and Proenza Schouler.