From big belts and fun furs to cool capes and sexy lingerie, the fall/winter 2015 season was filled with covetable clothing. And thanks, Wes Anderson, for inspiring so many fashion designers to get their quirk on.
BIG BELTS
Ladies, yes, it’s that time once again, to accentuate the waist with big bold belts. Although designers didn’t go up to “boxing championship belt” dimensions this season, they did draw the eye to the midriff to build hourglass shapes, create a color contrast or just make an outfit look that much more bad ass.
CAPES
A trend that just will not go away, capes were back on the catwalk in a big way this season. Valentino has always made a strong argument for this classy, yet sometimes cumbersome outerwear. But this time some of the best, and perhaps most user-friendly, options came down the Michael Kors runway. If you can pull them off, capes are great statement alternatives to coats when the weather is mild enough to enjoy them.
LINGERIE
Underwear as outerwear is not a new fashion concept. But it certainly was highly desirable this season. AtLouis Vuitton, Nicolas Ghesquière’s sporty take on the style looked fresh, while Dolce & Gabbana once again proved they know how to work black lace like nobody’s business. Come next season, being caught “undressed” will be the height of sexy sophistication.
ATHLEISURE
The colliding worlds of casual clothing and tailoring have created a new fashion star — Athleisure. A number of up-and-coming brands like Paco Rabanne, Public School, Cedric Charlier and Carven all made very strong arguments that this niche has a lot of cool room to grow. Expect more from this trend in the next spring/summer season as further fashion houses explore the style.
FUN FUR
Winter collections = fur. And there were a lot of interesting furs on the catwalk in all four fashion capitals. The color-washed take at Dior gave traditional fur coats a new appeal. The playful pompons at Celinecertainly caught the eye, and Fendi always knows how to deliver when it comes to crafting creative pelt options. But a shout-out needs to be given to designers Stella McCartney and Ralph Lauren. Both of them fooled quite a few fashion veterans with their faux fur options. Once again making a strong argument for choosing a fur alternative next season.
PLEATS
Pleats are a tried-and-true trend. But this time the wide variety of pleated skirt, pant and top options was what made the style stand out. From fan to box or carwash and knife, the pleat look packed quite a punch on runways as diverse in aesthetic as Balmain and Kenzo to Guy Laroche and Marco de Vincenzo.
PATCHWORK
A holdover from the spring/summer 2015 season, the patchwork look once again was a designer favorite. The splicing and dicing of furs, denim, knitwear motifs and snakeskin showed just how powerful the juxtaposition of colors, textures and fabrics could be. But this is a style that should be worn with caution. Too much clashing in one look can be sartorial overkill.
WES ANDERSON
The Wes Anderson effect on designers this season was self-evident on a number of catwalks. And many a mood board featured stills from the director’s distinctive oeuvre. Veronica Etro even name-checked him as someone who inspired her strong signature collection. She was in good company with brands like Gucci, Bally and Lacoste also diving into the odd and adorable Anderson universe for inspiration.
RIBBED KNITWEAR
If there was one phrase written down in fashion critics’ notebooks more than any other this season it is arguably ribbed knitwear. The forgiving and comfy weave was everywhere. But again, never worn or styled the same way twice. This corrugated clothing is a wardrobe staple. And with so many great options to choose from (Nehera, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, Sacai), it’s time to invest in some new knits.
STATEMENT SHOES
No fashion roundup of trends would be complete without a look at the always inventive footwear that designers offer up die-hard fashionistas each season. This time they were treated to furry boots, crystal-covered heel-less heels, pink pompons on silver sandals and sexy knee-high black lace-up boots, just to name a few. This selection is only a handful of all the kooky and original shoes that were displayed, designs that always make fashion a feast for the eyes…and feet!
