20 trends for fall/winter 2014
From Paris to New York, stopping off at London and Milan along the way, it is clear that this coming season is all about contrast. Ambiguity between masculine and feminine, strength and fragility, opulence and grunge, past and present... These contrasts reflect the multiple facets of the 21st century woman and, above all, celebrate her personal style.
Dark, intense and classic, next season navy blue is the new black. Made famous by the British Royal Navy, the dark blue adapted itself into the world of fashion and appears as next winter's standout color. Wear it head-to-toe, as seen at Céline and Chloé, or as a heavy, men's coat like those seen at Dries Van Noten and Jil Sander.
Exotic furs
The must-have fur coat for next winter comes straight from the wild in-pop colors with disco and grunge flares. As if they were dipped in fluorescent paints and bleached in acid, furs goes two-tone and tricolor, and blacks change to neon yellow and hot pink as brown turns red or green, changing the style codes of urban sophisticates and their classic furs.
Tweed
This wool fabric excels in elegance next season and reinvents itself in various forms. Under the legendary influence of Coco Chanel, who feminized the typically masculine fabric, designers created looks in the carded, flexible material at Chanel, Haider Ackermann and Dolce & Gabbana.
Tartan
From red checks, to green, blue and black plaid, this season the clan beckons as everything from the traditional to the modern appeared printed with Scottish tartan. Think grunge at Saint Laurent and masculine at Céline and Stella McCartney for a hint at how designers gave the kilt fabric their own inspirational twist.
Night Owl
Typically a couture embellishment, the ostrich feather appeared for Fall/Winter 2013-2014 in a ready-to-wear version. Soft and light, it punctuated each silhouette with elegance and grace, adding luxury to gowns and separates alike.
Leathery heights
As seen at Chanel, Emilio Pucci, Céline, Balmain, H&M and Zadig & Voltaire, leather -coated legs in thigh-high boots and slick stockings is one of the essential trends for Fall/Winter 2013 - 2014. Suede folk versions appeared at Emilio Pucci and Balmain, while a smooth leather was like a second skin at Céline, but it was at Chanel where soft leather stuck to legs as a type of stocking tucked into boots, Karl Lagerfeld explained backstage at the Chanel Fall/Winter 2013-2014 show.
Grunge
This season, studied dishevelment is back as designers reinvented the non-conformist vibe of the ‘80s grunge scene. Take a hint of punk, add a little rock, mix in some heavy metal and you’ll have the deliberately grungy appeal of the looks that hit the runway. Studded leather, mesh stockings and plaid shirts felt made us feel as if we had stepped into the wardrobes of Courtney Love and Blondie circa 1989, but only with an added couture feel. This fashion revival is the ultimate in laid-back, rebellious style.
Ecru
A reliable, instant pick-me-up, white invites itself into our wardrobes each winter and this year is no exception. It arrives bearing gifts ina soft, reassuring cream tint, as seen at Isabel Marant, Valentino and Céline.
Youthful prints
With girly hearts, frivolous stars and even childhood characters like Bambi, designers have certainly made a playful stamp on next season. The youthful trend was contrasted with transparency and patent leather at Burberry Porsum, a grunge charm at Yves Saint Laurent and midnight black at Givenchy.
Oversized shoulders
For his first show as Balenciaga's Creative Director, Alexander Wang presented coats and shortened jackets with large, rounded shoulders in homage to the oversized cuts from the era of Cristobal Balenciaga, founder of the celebrated fashion house established in the 1930s. The look carefully softens strict winter silhouettes, also seen on the Proenza Schouler and Gucci catwalks.
Beauty of the Day
Fur on bare skin, sheer, lingerie details and vinyl trench coats make up the tarnished wardrobes of the 2013 bourgeoisie. The look brings to mind Catherine Deneuve's character in the film Beauty of the Day, directed by French filmmaker Luis Buñuel, who captured a time when clothes themselves could embody insatiable desires.
Tomboy
With a retro touch and an air of nonchalance, the feminine-masculine look for next winter seems to have been influenced by Gavroche from Les Misérables. The menswear influences took center stage at many shows for Fall/Winter 2013-2014.At Giorgio Armani blazers without sleeves were worn over velvet high-waisted pants, and at Ralph Lauren Magdalena Frackowiak sported a black cap worn to the side, an oversized blouse under a men's style vest, and pants tucked into boots. The trend was also see at Comme des Garçons where a retro suit was folded, pleated and transformed into an homage to the great Anna Piaggi.
Mohair
One of the driving fibers for next winter, this fur alternative with its soft blur gives a certain serenity to every silhouette, smoothing contours and surrounding the body in a stylish haze. When worked in volumes as seen at Alexander Wang and Emporio Armani, its feather weight composition helps avoid creating overly heavy shapes. At Balmain, mohair was paired over shiny pants, playing with the contrast between the creamy, soft tops and lacquered pants.
Metallic mesh
Seen at Anthony Vaccarello, Chloé and Paco Rabbanne, a medieval trend for next season has developed, featuring armor-inspired mesh pieces. Far from weighing down the look, however, this mesh delicately dresses the chest, hips and legs, hiding parts of the female body, yet subtly revealing others, elusively hinting at nudity.
1940s
1940s icons Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Veronica Lake and Katherine Hepburn were honored in the Fall/Winter 2013-2014 collections, especially those shown in Milan. Honing soft shoulders, nipped waists, rounded hips and lowered necklines, designers emulated the hourglass silhouette on their runways, and proved its eternally seductive power.
Powder Pink Coats
A poetic breeze floated through the Fall/Winter 2013-2014 collections. As designers used vibrant colors for their dresses and pants, their coats hit the runways in softer, delicate colors like powder pink. Sweet and angelic, the English Rose hues transport us to a world of romance and whimsy for next season.
From left to right: Christian Dior, Miu Miu and Carven
100 % Caiman
When it comes to leather and skins for next season, head-to-toe crocodile is the way to go. Next winter tames this wildly luxurious trend and succumbs to its seductive style. Wear crocodile leather in its natural form, as seen at Hermès and Prada, or in creamy pastels like the croco seen at Louis Vuitton.
Tailoring
Next winter will see girls stealing their boyfriends' suits, and quite possibly their fathers' as well as oversized and pin-striped versions hit the Fall/Winter 2013-2014 runways. While mafia inspirations wereseen at Stella McCartney and Yohji Yamamoto, Maison Martin Margiela also picked up the trend with suits reminiscent of the those worn in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Camouflage
With camouflage prints, mountain ranger looks and khaki dominating the runways, the armed forces have certainly earned their stripes with the designers. Inspired by the army's rigour, silhouettes are stricter and designs feature the military's famous camouflage print in various forms. The fashion pack saw it in fur at Michael Kors, silver and purple at at Christopher Kane and crackled at Alexander Wang.
Sailor boy
The fashion set pledges itself to the Marine cause in navy blue and reefer jackets for Fall/Winter 2013-2014, and accessorizes with the iconic Marine uniform cap for those winter months spent island hopping and soaking up some sun on the yacht deck.
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