Fringe Benefits

from The City Magazine February 2023

by TCM2021

Let There be Lightweight Fabrics

Every fashion wardrobe demands a stand-out piece, and fortunately for those of us suffering the ﬁnancial pangs of the holiday season, the statement piece for this year is a crossover from the fall -- fringe.

From Givenchy to Bottega Veneta, designers took the opportunity to play with fringe by utilizing various techniques and colors. For Givenchy, the brand took a transparent white gown and added a matching white fringe at the base, giving the gown a touch of ﬂare and more signiﬁcant sway as the model walked the runway.

Bottega Veneta’s gown, on the other hand, went all in with an embrace of individuality with its use of fringe, as the gown was made entirely in a vibrant neon blue fringe that appeared to embrace the model while also maintaining a whole body bounce with each step. The coming season displays ﬂexibility in the ways fringe can be utilized, and how one chooses to diversify their unique look has also expanded.

Whether one opts to boost their design with chunky accessories or pair the piece with asymmetrical earrings, this year’s fringe has opened a door of possibilities.

80’s Flashback

Attention 80’s fashion fanatics! It’s time to dig out those chunky bangles from your jewelry box because we’ll be stacking them up to our elbows this year. Seen on models for Dior, Oscar de la Renta, and Alexander McQueen -- just to name a few -- these bangles will add a creative boost to our 2023 fashion pieces.

With designs ranging from colorful acrylics to bedazzled metal, this particular accessory values the piece’s ﬂexibility and cohesion with the ensemble rather than seeking a speciﬁc style. Due to the range offered by this chunky accent, the styling possibilities are endless. One could make a white or black ensemble pop with a rainbow of colorful acrylic bangles, or they could follow in the footsteps of Moschino by pairing a bold print with a bangle of the gold or silver variety to add a regality to the piece.

Wear Hearts on Your Sleeve

The ﬁnal design we’ll be discussing is going to be the heart. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, hearts like the shape. For many fashion houses, this petite design found itself working its way into their work in one way or another adding a rush of color or a unique twist to a tried and true staple.

Moschino was one brand that added this unique twist to its ready-wear collection. Through the creative eye of designer Jeremy Scott, the classic little black dress found itself embellished with little heart detailing in the form of a bright red inﬂatable upon the left breast, atop a pair of black pumps, and the shape of an accenting red bangle.

Other teams like Chanel and Vetements took the heart and made it a piece that created a softness to their designs with some drop heart earrings or a gemstone heart pendant. The heart will be the subtle detailing that boosts the aesthetic of 2023 pieces as we adorn them in multiple ways. A subtle way to add the heart design to one’s everyday wardrobe is through a ring or bracelet charm, while more stand-out additions could be a purse or clutch donning the heart shape.

Unlike the infamous Rose Dawson, we will not be throwing our heart into the watery depths this 2023.