The Top 20 Runway Trends for S/S 2023

From New York to London, Milan and Paris, in this post I round up the biggest trends of the summer season. Color is very important, worn in a mostly monochrome way, from shades of beige, to magenta, red, lilac and baby blue. For the more daring, neon hues and cutouts are leading the way.

Cargo pants, biker jackets and fringes are absolute must-haves! Enjoy those beautiful collections.

LoL, Sandra

If you buy one thing for spring, make it a pair of multi-pocketed cargo pants. From their origins in the British army in the late 1930s to today, cargo pants have not aged a bit. This season they are elevated to fashion essentials.

Flannel shirts are an object of desire courtesy of Bottega Veneta and Dr Martens are still holding strong. Enjoy this ’90s grunge.

Denim takes up the Y2K mantle for spring, which means waistlines are down, bellies are exposed, and knee-high boots haven’t been spared either. Begin by reacquainting yourself with Alexander McQueen’s Bumsters, first debuted as part of his Taxi Driver collection for F/W 1993.

Fluorescent shades of blue, green and yellow boosted the summery allure of the silhouettes, which came with a futuristic aesthetic at Balenciaga or Miu Miu.

The baby blues, a soft chromatic mood tinted the second skin silhouettes, which were resolutely fluid and innocent.

For seasons on end, pops of purple have given way to sweeping, head-to-toe lilac looks. You better get used to it!

Magenta is the Pantone Color of the Year 2023, so no wonder shades of red are all over the runways. But it is nothing for the shy, the trend expects you to sport the vibrant shade head-to-toe. My favorite? Ferragamo’s all over sparkles.

The monochromatic silhouette came only in shades of beige. Miu Miu, Max Mara and Dior case fashion staples rather than statement pieces, daring to layer up classic basics in varying hues.

Blending craftsmanship and ’70s charm, crochet remains a failsafe option for summer.

The latest take on fringing is a far cry from its bohemian aesthetic, with the detail adorning even the most sophisticated pieces in your wardrobe.

Hints of fringing feathers and glitter details are bringing back the Roaring Twenties! However the ’20s glamour got a minimalist makeover, without compromising on elegance.

Let’s ride! From the street to the runway, the biker trend is showing no sign of slowing down.

Literal interpretations of the gothic style were replaced by a soft grunge talk on the aesthetic. Black dominates the goth girl look. Complete the vibe by playing on volume and transparency.

Transparency create a silhouette that is sexier than ever. The must-have black dresses of the season hinted at glimpses at several designers.

In what was an ingenious display of creativity, fashion played with optical illusions, unveiling troupe-l’oeil pieces that transformed the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Whether with a new twist on a bouquet or with lifelike tropical flowers, designers transformed simple garments into blossoming works of art.

Living out our costume-drama dreams has never been so easy, thanks to the return of 16th-century farthingales, 17th-century panniers and 19th-century crinolines.

Hoods are the strangely sexy accessory taking over the summer runways. Totally reminiscent of the most renowned Alaïa muse, Grace Jones, who triumphed this look in the ’80s.

Cutouts have moved to a very daring spot. Nothing for the shy…

As the world gets more inclusive, fashion is a welcome way to express your current mood. That means you can dress up as much as you like to get all the attention. References from previous decades are a welcome source of inspiration. Even the poodle skirt is back!

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands

The Top 20 Runway Trends for F/W 2022

Being still in the throes of a global pandemic, and following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it was a bizarre fashion week. It felt awkward on one side, on the other you saw that designers felt that urge to live again, while setting a statement.

The revival of the 2000s «Y2K» which is the shorthand for «the year 2000» is still going strong along with vibrant colors and strong shoulders on which you can carry the weight of the world. Literally.

Enjoy those beautiful collections and as I wished already six months ago, let’s hope again that we will find peace this season and finally learn from our history.

LoL, Sandra

The must-have of the season is actually a very summery item. The white tank top gives an elevated take on wardrobe essentials this season.

Never out of style, the flight jacket aka bomber jacket is a wardrobe hero that can be worn for all occasions. From morning walk to weekend lunch to evening gala, it has had various luxe updates for fall.

Silhouettes built for speed give motorcross its fashion credentials.

More and more designers skip animal fur and work on creating the perfect faux fur. This winter mainly in neutral colors and oversized shapes.

This winter, leather is a second skin and creates eye-catching looks.

Knitwear combinations in form of dresses with cardigans or sweater with matching skirts are all the rage this winter.

Attention catwomen! Luxe leopard is really feeling fresh again.

Strong shoulders have been seen frequently at Balenciaga. Thanks to Demna Gvasalia who shaped the fashion industry in myriad ways, this detail has inspired many runway shows this winter. In form of oversized blazers styled in different ways, they are the key pieces to look for.

Corporate tailoring is heading out-of-office for autumn. Oversized tailoring, crazy prints and vibrant colors promise a fabulous sabbatical.

Mood-boosting hues in rainbow colors – designers used those shades often head-to-toe or in color block options.

Transparency takes it up a notch also for winter in skin-tight silhouettes and fearless cut-outs. The difference now? Body-con isn’t just for twiglets. Models of all sizes sported the looks down the runways.

The Y2K trend is here to stay. Also this F/W 2022 season, low-rise waists, micro minis, visible underwear and all-over denim live their revival to the fullest. The 2000s are back!

Another revival that has been spotted on several runways is the punk-fuelled trend. Tartan patchworks, edgy lines and multiple buckles add to the vibe.

Back to school! The coolest uniforms break out of the classroom and onto the runway.

This season, fashion is extreme. Either you wear miniskirts or opt for great lengths that fell to the floor this fall.

Red alert! The modern woman dresses head to toe in tight pants and sexy tops in the most feminine color of all.

Corsets and a focus on the waist are huge this winter season. The best way? Corsetry introduces structured lines to flowing gowns for a contemporary feminine silhouette.

Fashion can be art, it is a form of expression. With all uncertainties in the world, designers are creating looks to dress up. Layered, colorful, voluminous, and wild to unleash your inner child.

The perfect looks for happily ever after stories with tulle fabrications so light they are reminiscent of cloud nine, painted in a delicate palette of pastel shades.

The Roaring Twenties: Art Deco accents, boas and shimmering details ask for a Great Gatsby revival at its best.

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands

The Top 20 Runway Trends for F/W 2016

FW2016_Trends_Report

Here they are: the most important trends for the F/W 2016 season. Scroll through my forecast to see which styles will be on everyone’s shopping list next season. From statement furs to velvet everything, from extra long sleeves to oversized down jackets, the choice is yours – enjoy!

LoL, Sandra

FW2016_Velvet

F/W 2016 TREND 1: VELVET
Akris – Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini – Giorgio Armani

FW2016_Checkmate

F/W 2016 TREND 2: CHECKMATE
Chanel – Vivienne Westwood Red Label- Marni

FW2016_Alice_in_wonderland

F/W 2016 TREND 3: ALICE IN WONDERLAND
Alexander McQueen – Moschino – Dolce & Gabbana

FW2016_Biker_Girls

F/W 2016 TREND 4: BIKER GIRLS
Courrèges – Chloé – Louis Vuitton

FW2016_Beigemania

F/W 2016 TREND 5: BEIGEMANIA
Céline – Hermès – Max Mara

FW2016_ON_DUTY

F/W 2016 TREND 6: ON DUTY
Prada – Maison Martin Margiela – Miu Miu

FW2016_Shiny_Trenchcoats

F/W 2016 TREND 7: SHINY TRENCH COATS
Proenza Schouler – Tod’s – Burberry

FW2016_Puffer_Coats

F/W 2016 TREND 8: PUFF DADDY
Sacai – Balenciaga – Stella McCartney

FW2016_80s_Cocktail_Dresses

F/W 2016 TREND 9: ’80s POWER ONE-SHOULDER
Lanvin – Saint Laurent – Isabel Marant

FW2016_Capes

F/W 2016 TREND 10: CAPES
Elie Saab – Temperley London – Gucci

FW2016_Bubblegum

F/W 2016 TREND 11: BUBBLEGUM
Kenzo – Simone Rocha – Carven

FW2016_Extra_long_sleeves

F/W 2016 TREND 12: EXTRA LONG SLEEVES
Marc Jacobs – Michael Kors Collection – Vetements

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F/W 2016 TREND 13: TURTLENECKS WITH ZIPPERS
Versace – Dior – Emilio Pucci

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F/W 2016 TREND 14: BONDAGE
Gareth Pugh – Loewe – Alexander Wang

FW2016_longScarfs

F/W 2016 TREND 15: LONG SCARFS
Etro – Missoni – Roberto Cavalli

FW2016_Pinstripe_Suiting

F/W 2016 TREND 16: PINSTRIPE SUITING
Calvin Klein Collection – Tibi – Trussardi

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F/W 2016 TREND 17: TINSEL
Marco di Vicenzo – Jeremy Scott – Emporio Armani

FW2016_Fur_stoles

F/W 2016 TREND 18: FUR STOLES
Dries Van Noten – Vionnet – Givenchy

FW2016_Fur

F/W 2016 TREND 19: STATEMENT FURS
Fendi – Salvatore Ferragamo – Mary Katrantzou

FW2016_Modern_Nymphs

F/W 2016 TREND 20: MODERN NYMPHS
Alberta Ferretti – Valentino – Rodarte