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

Get the Look: Anna in Saint Laurent

Anna dello Russo in Saint Laurent

I have been in love with this floral dress the minute I saw it on the Saint Laurent F/W 2013 runway and Anna dello Russo obviously had the same moment. Here, she shows how the punk and grunge trend works in perfection this season without loosing femininity.

Get her look: Silk-chiffon printed dress, plaid wool shirt iconand studded leather boots, all by Saint Laurent.

LoL, Sandra

My Look: Plaid Factor

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This winter, it is all about the plaid factor. The pattern that somehow manages to straddle the not-so-fine-line between preppy and punk has suddenly proven itself as this season’s principle print. Check your boyfriend’s closet for an oversized version or shop Saint Laurent‘s iconic piece offering the perfect avante-garde grunge aesthetic.

My look: Plaid shirtleather shift dress and studded leather boots, all by Saint LaurentBamboo leather tote iconby GucciStephanie gold-tone necklace by Lanvin, Limelight Gala watch and rose diamond ring, both by Piaget.

LoL, Sandra

Sandra Bauknecht in Saint Laurent 205

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Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Firenze4Ever Closing Night

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The closing night of LUISAVIAROMA‘s Firenze4Ever took place at the stunning Boboli Gardens (Giardini di Boboli), a park behind the Pitti Palace in Florence, that is home to a collection of sculptures dating from the 16th through the 18th centuries, with some Roman antiquities. It is amazing how LUISAVIAROMA always surprises us with another outstanding location.

Seated around the fountain in the Island Bassin (Vasca dell’Isola), we enjoyed a wonderful Tuscan dinner, a dance show, the amazing scenery followed by the after party with a private rock concert. The motto of the night was “Grunge Glam” and I went through my closet to find the most “punk-style” pieces that were in there.

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My look: Cut-out knit dress, matching leggings and leather glove clutch, all by Alexander McQueen, choker by Louis Vuitton, bracelets by Miu Miu and Hermès, strappy sandals by Gucci and statement rings by Roberto Cavalli. All pieces are from previous seasons.

Below you can enjoy all my impressions of the night.

LoL, Sandra

MCM-Luisaviaroma

Familiar faces: Sung-Joo Kim (looking a little different than at the MCM Grand Opening in Zurich last month) and the MCM team came to present their newest collaboration: they teamed up with illustrators, Craig & Karl, for a limited edition collection of summer accessories.

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Adrian J. Margelist, Chief Creative Officer MCM, with me

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Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Firenze4Ever 7th Edition On Stage

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Today, I have more amazing news! I am so excited and cannot wait for the weekend to come. This Saturday, I will be off to Florence to attend LUISAVIAROMAicon‘s amazing FIRENZE4EVER ON STAGE event. Those of you who have been following me since quite a while know how much fun it will be as I am back for the fourth time. At the end of this post you can find the highlights of the previous editions.

What is FIRENZE4EVER all about?
The cultural heritage of Florence, the most important Italian fashion destination online, the world’s most influential fashion icons, trendsetters and bloggers, an exclusive location and a fantastic live event… these are the ingredients that will spice up the three-day event hosted by LUISAVIAROMAicon.

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This time, it is inspired by the era of rock, punk, grunge… one of the biggest F/W 2013 trends. FIRENZE4EVER ON STAGE is a salute to the music that defined an attitude and the attitude that continues to inspire fashion.

FrancescoMeleFrancesco Mele with his fiancé Bianca Balti for Vogue Brasil August 2012 – She Rocks! by Fernando Lombardi

But it is not only about celebrating fashion, above all, it is an hommage to Florence and investing in its most precious resource: its culture. In fact, this season, it will contribute to the restoration of the fountain in the Vasca dell’Isola (Island Basin) in the Boboli Gardens, where the private Dinner Party closing the event will take place. On the evening of 17th June, the most cutting edge names of the international underground rock scene will be “ON STAGE,” including Francis and the Cats (with the celebrated Francesco Mele) and Goose, the Belgian alternative-electro band described by The Guardian as the link that joins rock, electronic and DJ-set.

An extraordinary edition where art, music and fashion meet between the virtual and the physical, thanks to the support of LUISAVIAROMAicon.

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Some of the highlights of previous FIRENZE4EVER editions that I attended (January 2011, June 2011, January 2012) were for the example the Mulberry tea party book launch, my interview with Laudomia Pucci, the amazing dinner at the church, Pug Dogs for Happy Kids auction and of course all those fun style labs.

Here are my favorites. If you click on the photo, you will be transfered to the previous post.

LoL, Sandra

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Photos: Courtesy of Luisaviaroma, style.com, Vogue Brasil, © Sandra Bauknecht

Does Hedi Slimane Go Way Overboard?

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I have to admit that when I saw the new Saint Laurent campaign yesterday, I didn’t dare to post it because of April Fools’ Day. But this is no joke! Marilyn Manson, the ’90s rocker, is the new face. Of course, this has nothing to do with the image we have had of the brand so far. Looking closer, Hedi Slimane‘s pick may not be as surprising as it seems.

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For F/W 2013, the designer’s went for grunge-heavy designs, mixing plaid shirts with babydoll dresses. First, I didn’t like it at all but slowly I am getting used to this high street look in good quality. Recently, I had a conversation with another fashion editor who said “probably he is already one step further ahead of us…” and that made me think. She might be right…

LoL, Sandra

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Saint_Laurent_FW2013-38Photos: Via style.com

The Chanel F/W 2011 Show

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IMG_1875The dramatic setting with vulcano-like smoke and scorched earth was just amazing for the Chanel F/W 2011 show.

Following Karl Lagerfeld’s statement „The world is a dark place“, the Cure’s famous hit „A Forest“ matched the new Chanel designs.

Lagerfeld’s creations seemed to be an approach to a much younger audience and all the It-girls were spotted front row from Poppy Delivgne to Lily Allen and Emma Roberts.

Floor-length edgy capes, distressed leggings, looking more like street fashion than anything else. The volumes were bigger and the all in all appearance reminded more like the survival of a natural catastrophe.
I adored Lagerfeld’s apocalyptic vision mixed with a little neo-medieval twist and you?

LoL, Sandra



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The gift: 4 lipsticks of the new Rouge Coco Shine

The gift: 4 lipsticks of the new Rouge Coco Shine