Embellished knits are nothing new on the runway, but this season designers embraced what we knew about this trend and gave it a new twist. We saw lots of intricate detailing on the runway, along with oversized embellishments. When Alexander Wang decided to show an all black collection he knew he was going to have to do something to really stand out. He loaded his pieces up with hardware, sending tuxedo jackets and robes onto the runway with ball-andchain trim adorning the hems. Dries Van Noten decided to pair the complete opposites together, showing a mix of quilting, tapestry, brocade, chinos, and yet sequins. No matter which designer we study, the trend of embellished knits is not going anywhere. It is easy to dramatize and send down the runway, while still being able to commercialize the design and speak to a large range of customers.
There is something so stunning about the colors and textures of a good jacquard making its way down the runway. There’s a sense of luxury when extravagant fabrics, such as jacquard, are presented. Designer Erdem Moralioglu knows this very well, and used this to pry out something extremely innovative and pleasing for his collection. He reversed his lavish jacquards, exposing a lurid underside, and then, when he’d cut them into proper little dresses or full-skirted party frocks, he frayed them, and then sewed on a little lace to make the fray a little less hard-times. It is very interesting to see how designers continue to reinvent the things we already know, as well as how people will respond to it.
This was the season for standout fur! It shocked the audience as one of the hottest trends of the season, being shown on almost every runway and spotted all over the streets of New York, Paris, Milan, and London. Fur in general adds an amazing texture to a designer’s collection, this season was nothing short of this. Designer’s added touches of other fabrics, belted the fur, as well as bright unexpected colors.
There was a bit of a 70’s nod in a lot of shows this season, and fringe lended to everyone of them. Fringe was HUGE. From Burberry to Rebecca Minkoff, designers incorporated fringe touches on bags, accessories, shoes, and even clothing.
Boots have always been a classic. Designers exaggerated the classic designs, along with adding personal touches. The concensus was the higher the better- thigh high that is. Altuzarra and Burberry were standouts when it comes to this trend, pairing amazing OTK boots with almost every look. A fun print added to the fringy, bohemian 70’s vibes going on from Burberry. Touches of tassels, laces, cut outs, and unexpected leathers really spoke to the audience. This is a trend that is already all over the streets, and will really be an amazing opportunity for buyers in the fashion industry.
“Collegiate Remix� is a trend term that I came up with. I have been seeing a ton of matching sets, sophisticated silhouettes, and chic seperates on the runway this season. As an industry as a whole, fashion has a sense of over-exagerating everything. Although this can be nice, within recent times designers have been scaling back and presenting classics with a modern twist. Tailoring is a special aspect of this trend. Tommy Hilfiger was a game changer this season with this specific trend, even presenting his runway show on a football field themed production.