Fall/Winter 2023 Collections Report: Embracing History, Envisioning Futures On The Runway
Fantasy fashion no more
The fall/winter 2023 season is marked by a definitive shift away from fantasy fashion. Instead, designers traced the roots of their brands to chart their paths forward. The result is considered, meaningful fashion that not only addresses what women want to wear today, but suggests new ways to see and move through the world.
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Louis Vuitton
Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
Nicolas Ghesquière’s latest collection seeked to answer that eternal query: What is French style? The collection he showed did not provide a succinct definition but it did offer up myriad propositions on how to do French chic. First, there was a whiff of the Eighties—an era Ghesquière constantly revisits. It manifested in beaded dresses worn under pleated blazers, balloon trousers and cinched jackets, and bustier dresses worn with shoulder-padded knits. Then came more timeless looks: crisp jackets and trousers that were cut slim but not severe; camel coats and jackets worn with black leather pants; and a piece that was halfway between shirtdress and oversize shirt, worn with a little vest and an oversize dickie. Towards the end, Ghesquière channelled the more eclectic side of Parisian style—delicate slips worn with chunky scarves; jacquard robes paired with frayed and distressed bermudas.
Miu Miu
After a blockbuster three-season run redefining what sexy looks like, Miuccia Prada has pivoted to... normcore. Of course, in Prada’s hands, nothing is ever quite what it seems. The first section seemed to riff on the ladylike uniforms of the bourgeoisie— twinsets, camel coats, polka dots. But the tops were tucked into briefs that have been hiked up above the skirts, the models’ hair were balloon-static frazzled, and some of them have skipped bottoms entirely to step out just in their underwear. Not quite prim and proper. Then came a different kind of uniform—a boxy coat worn over a hoodie worn over a sweater worn over a t-shirt; again, pants optional. The pieces were double-bonded, creating a gently padded e ect. Finally, Emma Corrin closed the show in sparkly gold panties and a camel knit—the epitome of unbothered and fabulous.
Hermès
As the conversation around quiet luxury grows ever louder, Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski is in prime position to take advantage of this pendulum swing. After all, her work for Hermès has always been rooted in subtlety. This season, her Hermès woman is all about softness and sensuality. But at Hermès, sensuality is expressed not through the amount of skin on show. The body remained mostly covered, though very much highlighted through the use of adjustable collars, soft belts, and scarves that gently wrap and drape around the figure. These were applied onto plush knits, classic coats and pleated lamé dresses. Vanhee-Cybulski’s rich palette was drawn from nature—the hues of dawns and sunsets, but also of human hair. Think reds and coppers, chestnuts and straw. Throughout, there was a faint shimmer— achieved through sparkling fabrics and ultra-fine beading.
Celine
Photo: Courtesy of Celine
For his latest collection, Hedi Slimane headed back to his spiritual home, Los Angeles—specifically, The Wiltern, the Art Deco landmark that has played host to some of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest. The collection Slimane showed pretty much single- handedly brought back indie sleaze. Think wide-brimmed fedoras and skinny scarves; military jackets and knee-high boots; minidresses sequinned and ruffled; little vests and big furs, and even bigger bags tucked into the crook of the elbow. Slimane ended on a note of glamour, with a series of slip gowns—minimal in silhouette, but glittering all over in beads and sequins. A lot of people are attempting Y2K, but no one does it as convincingly—and as sexily—as Slimane.
Loewe
Jonathan Anderson continues his winning streak of marrying surrealism to minimalism. These days, the designer trades in the subtle instead of the fantastical. His fall/winter 2023 collection was about gestures: a shirtdress was draped to be asymmetrical but made to look like it was caught in the chain of a bag; an ivory gown looked as though it would slip off the model’s body if she wasn’t clutching it close; creases and folds were built into clothes; boots went beyond slouchy and actually collapsed. Most evocative of all were the dresses, trench coats and fur coats printed onto plain silk duchesse. Blurred and with their white edges showing, the pieces brought to mind ghosts of garments past, turned into something new.
Alexander McQueen
Sarah Burton titled her latest collection Anatomy. It was a 55-look structural study of the human body, of clothing, and of flowers. With the collection, Burton also traced the roots of the House—McQueen himself cut his teeth on Savile Row, and tailoring was a particular focus here. Sharp suits were either presented straight-up, or subverted through slashing, slicing and twisting. The body was mostly covered up, but even when revealed, there was an armour-like quality to the pieces that adorned it. Volumes were kept strict and severe, or exploded into unfurling silhouettes that evoked orchids. Meanwhile, the monochromatic palette was interjected occasionally by deep purples, rich reds and lustrous silvers.
Gucci
It is the studio team’s final collection before Sabato De Sarno takes over the creative directorship, and the collective sent out a seamless transitional collection. The priority was merchandising and the team delivered on that front, while also underscoring the House codes that have been established over the decades. There were elements of Alessandro Michele’s eclecticism, as well as hints of Tom Ford’s erotic glamour. Overall, it was a fine balance between showstoppers and wardrobe staples. The first look out was a crystal-encrusted bra worn with a slim black skirt; the last was an embroidered heirloom coat over a nude negligee and orange hosiery. In between, there were good jeans and smart blazers, but also big faux fur chubbies and paillette-strewn slips.
Dior
Photo: Courtesy of Dior
This season, Maria Grazia Chiuri was inspired by a trio of women: Catherine Dior, Edith Piaf and Juliette Greco. They were post-war Parisiennes who lived liberated lives for their time; feminine, but also independent and strong. The resulting collection featured classic New Look silhouettes—full skirts, nipped-in jackets—in ultra-light, crinkled fabrics that gave them an air of nonchalance, making them feel contemporary almost 80 years after their creation. Bra tops and t-shirts further modernised the look. The palette was mostly black, occasionally shot through with muted jewel tones of ruby, emerald and topaz. There were also plenty of beautifully simple day dresses, knits, shirts and skirts that proved that fashion doesn’t always have to be shouty to be effective.
Burberry
Where his predecessor brought a harder edge to the British label, Daniel Lee, in his debut collection, has introduced a softer look—one more playful and romantic, and undeniably English. It is an aesthetic rooted in the great outdoors, the country houses and the rolling fields around them, the unpredictable weather. The classic trench coat has been loosened up, with exaggerated faux-fur lapels; the signature check, knocked askew and rendered in bright hues. Other key prints included roses and ducks, while accessories ranged from furry trapper hats and moccasins to hot water bottles in Burberry check. Elsewhere, Lee doubled down on Britishness via blanket coats, Aran and argyle knits, and tartan kilts.
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Bottega Veneta
In just three seasons, Matthieu Blazy has turned Bottega Veneta into one of Milan’s most hotly watched shows, and he did it not with gimmicks and tricks—unless you count the optical illusions that are his leather jeans— but with a real focus on craft and clothes. His fall/winter 2023 collection was inspired by the idea of a parade—the very different people one chances upon on the streets. Here, a bombshell in her nightie; there, a boss in a power suit. There were faded florals, shaggy boucle, moulded leathers, delicate fringe, and intricate embroideries. Blazy also continued his astounding leather illusions—this time around, they took the form of striped pyjamas, grey flannel and knitted socks.
Dolce&Gabbana
In the last decade, the work of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana has veered increasingly theatrical, coinciding with the rise of Instagram as the main fashion communication tool. Last season’s collection, in which they invited Kim Kardashian to pick and rework her favourites from their archives, has perhaps reminded them of the classics that turned them into household names in the fi rst place. This season, they doubled down. Titled “Sensuale,” the collection dived deep into their greatest hits. The opening was all black lace and sheer black chi on, and a smattering of crystals. Tailoring was a particular highlight—sharp and snatched in all the right places. As a counterpoint, there was lingerie dressing galore—a look the duo pioneered decades ago and which looks just as fresh now.
Chanel
Coco Chanel’s legacy provides endless fodder for the House’s designers. This season, Virginie Viard looks to the camellia, which Chanel loved for its softness and graphic shape. Viard plastered the flower all over the collection—it showed up as both print and applique; it was turned into accessories big (camellia bags) and small (camellia hairpins); and it adorned jackets and knits, pockets and buttons. Viard also loves her shorts; it’s her design shorthand for women being unencumbered. This season, her shorts silhouette of choice is the nonchalant Bermuda, which she showed in both tweed and denim. Asymmetry was another key feature of the collection, from the way the coats fell to the way skirts were slit.
Balenciaga
Every collection that Demna sends down the runway is fiercely watched, but for this, the stakes were higher than ever. His fall/winter 2023 collection came on the heels of a turbulent period that threatened to halt the red-hot trajectory of one of Kering’s star brands. Demna’s response was to strip everything back—no giant sets, no meta commentary—and focus purely on the clothes. And what clothes! The opening was a series of severe black suits, onto which he affixed cut-up trousers that flowed around them like a modern take on trains. There wasn’t a single logo in sight. There were hoodies, but they were distorted beyond recognition. Demna’s most impressive technical accomplishment though, were the pinched, rounded shoulders that stood away from the body—they were especially alluring on the embroidered gowns that closed the show.
Saint Laurent
The Saint Laurent woman as envisioned by Anthony Vaccarello has been an acolyte of Eighties power dressing for the past few seasons, but her fall/winter 2023 uniform might be her most extreme—and alluring—yet. And make no mistake, it is a uniform; Vaccarello is the kind of designer who hammers home a single silhouette over the course of a 50-look show. For his latest show, that silhouette consists of a blazer with monolithic shoulders, worn over a plunging silk tank and a fitted skirt that hits right above the knees. There is also the occasional pussybow or blanket scarf—both in such exaggerated proportions that they trail on the ground. Judging by the commercial juggernaut that the brand has become under his stewardship, Vaccarello’s go-big-or-go-home vision is clearly resonating.
Prada
Miuccia Prada changed the fashion agenda in the Nineties when she rejected glamour in favour of an off-kilter minimalism that was almost radical in its simplicity. She’s done it again this season, now with Raf Simons as her co-conspirator. The restraint the duo showed in their latest collection was refreshing in the face of so much fashion engineered for virality. The first look out was a grey crewneck knit, worn with a slim white calf-length skirt. More plain knits in navy and camel followed, as did those embroidered skirts but in mini and A-line variations. The highlight was a quartet of crisp white dresses that reached down to the floor—inspired by nurses’ uniforms, but imbued with so much grace they became something else entirely.
Ferragamo
For his second collection, Maximilian Davis continued on the trajectory he set out last season, which is to say, he looked to the House’s 1950s heyday, when Hollywood was enamoured with the brand and clients included the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. It wasn’t a faithful reproduction of period costume though; in a clever move, Davis took only shapes and details—curved seams, cinched waists. To these, he added a very modern sportswear flavour, making them feel correct for today. Bar-like jackets were paired with short shorts or leggings. Meanwhile, tailoring in dark hues came with slashes and flashes of the bright scarlet that Davis is quickly establishing as a House signature.
Fendi
Photo: Courtesy of Fendi
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From the moment he started at the Roman brand, Kim Jones has been inspired by the founding family. Today, that means not only Silvia Venturini Fendi but also her daughter, Delfina Delettrez Fendi, and for fall/winter 2023 specifically, the way the latter brings a “chicness but a perversity to the way she twists Fendi.” Those two qualities became the twin pillars of this new collection, which was ladylike yet subversive, elegant yet nonchalant. The palette consisted of menswear blues and matronly browns. Masculine tailoring and fabrics were twisted into feminine forms. Glamour was shot through with utilitarianism—jumpsuits, aprons and uniforms shown side by side with lace and leathers. An unassuming trench opens up to reveal gold sequinned lining, while goddess gowns come with harness straps.