Five trends for this autumn

ADVERTISEMENT

Lisa Aiken not only is a front-row figure of the shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris, she also travels all over the globe to attend smaller fashion weeks from Vilnius to Copenhagen and discover what you are going to wear six months from now. We sat down with Aiken minutes after she gave her “Net-A-Porter trends presentation” in Paris, lining up all the best trends making up this upcoming season. She shared how designers reacted to the shift in people's mindset in our - post-Trump, post-Times Up and post-My Job Should Not Include Abuse - era. Next season, she says, will be all about « making women feel good ».

Farm Girl

Westernwear has been the crux of many designers this season, from Raf Simons to Dries Van Noten, Coach 1941, and Isabel Marant too. Perhaps they were inspired by the self-sufficiency of pioneer women. Plaid, Prince of Wales heritage or tartan, checks in all their many forms; prairie dresses and cowboy boots are key for the new season. Don’t wear them at the countryside, these clothes are made for walking on the street.

Fashion shows: Acne Studios, Isabel Marant, Calvin Klein, Fendi.

Modern Matrix

Black trench coats, micro sunglasses, high gloss coats : all we’re missing is superhuman fighting abilities, then we would be ready for the next sequel of Matrix. If women are superheroes, this is your ideal wardrobe.

Fashion Shows: Miu Miu, Marni, Sies Marjan, Off-White

Colour Curiosity

From neon that was all over the runways through to pastels, women are reclaiming colours at a time when head-to-toe black doesn’t feel quite right. Is winter colours an oxymoron? A few years ago, pale mint and electric yellow have felt inappropriate in the middle of November. But in 2018, we’re seeing these hues everywhere, from powder blue to bitter orange. Neon was fanciful at Prada women’s, sophisticated at Balenciaga, pure fun at Brandon Maxwell. On a puffer, these colours are unexpected; on thigh-high boots, they’re subversive.

Fashion Shows: Balenciaga, Prada, Tibi, Marni, Jacquemus

Faux Vintage

Obviously, the logical thing to do would be to trawl through vintage stores, but it’s more likely that we will embrace the luxe alternative. Givenchy, Gucci and Chloé are among the brands offering vintage-inspired outfits that look as good off-duty (just add a pair of jeans) as they do on (black cropped tailored trousers and towering black leather pumps).

Fashion shows: Givenchy, Gucci, Chloé, Alexandra Rich

Back to Reality

Ultimately, the season’s most arresting trend might be the most obvious. Or maybe essential is a better word. “I wanted to make things that my friends and women I know want to wear,” Joseph Altuzarra told before his show. Could it be that seasonal flights of fancy are going out of style? Designers everywhere are answering our calls for timeless wardrobe dressing. These are clothes that suit our mental needs as much as our physical ones—pieces that reflect the elegant, essence of the person we are, no filter necessary.

Fashion Shows: Gabriella Hearst, Victoria Beckham, The Row, Loewe.

Writer: Ilaria Casati