There are countless designers offering an amazing array of Fall and Winter Ready-to-Wear fashion all across the globe so it's really difficult to narrow down the ones I feel Canadian and American consumers will be gravitating towards. But because we experience extremely harsh winters in our neck of the woods, I'm pretty certain the designers I've selected will be key players in our fashion choices this coming winter season.
CHLOE
Not to be confused with Cleo, Chloe is a luxury designer of fashion, handbags, shoes and accessories created in Paris. Chloe typically caters to a younger demographic but their Fall 2021 collection is more than appropriate for all age groups. If you love cozy and colourful winter clothing you will love this season's collection of poncho's and sweater dresses. We are seeing a resurgence of '70's style fashion and both items of clothing were front and centre back then. Although the patterns are similar, the lengths are much longer so they now offer both coziness and warmth from head-to-toe. We will be seeing striped boho versions offered by Chloe in rich rusts, chestnuts and charcoals. Full mid-length leather skirts are part of the collection, along with some beautifully scalloped leather coats that are really unique and stunning. Ruffles are going to be following us into the winter season and Chloe have expertly attached them to the bodices of their dresses ('70's influence again). There is a lot of butter-soft leather and suede, along with shearling in their collection of coats in neutral tones and creamy shades of tan.
JASON WU
Jason Wu has really amped up his trenches this season! One worth noting has an oversized facial print splashed onto a solid navy background. So stunning! There is a richness to this collection of dark floral midi shirtdresses, navy front-pocket trousers, and button-downs with large facial prints infused with flowers. He has also incorporated vertical lines and pleats into the collection which features pleated dark and muted floral prints, rich copper-toned pleated trousers, and pleated tulle off-shoulder maxi dresses adorned with bunched-up tulle at the bodice. Really lovely. He has also added some oversized coats to his collection that really trump anything I've seen before. One that is particularly striking is bright orange with a large charcoal flower splashed across the bottom half and up one sleeve. No winter blues here!
KENZO
Kenzo is a French luxury brand founded in 1970 by Japanese designer Kenzo Takada. The clothing incorporates an asian flair into it's high-end European construction. The best way to describe their Fall/Winter Ready-to-Wear Collection is joyful and bright. Every model on the runway danced their way around the stage in a fun flirtatous way flaunting a bevy of neon oversized winter gear. So fun! Kenzo has definitely taken comfort to a whole new level with this collection! There's nothing restrictive about it, I'll say that much. Here we have oversized coats, extra wide pants and high platform moon boots in abundance, along with stripes, florals, chain-links, you name it. Picture the type of outfits you'd expect to see on our astronauts, with added shock value. That's what you'll find in the Kenzo aisle this Fall!
MARC JACOBS
People who love to stand out in a crowd will be overjoyed with Marc Jacob's F/W 2021 Ready-to-Wear Collection! It really is, well, outrageous! It features head-to-toe black and white oversized alphabet prints on coats, wide-leg pants, leggings, hats and hoodies. These pieces will create quite a stir when worn together! Bright, bold solids of red, green, pink and grey are his colour offerings for his extreme wide-leg pant collection this winter. His coat offerings are also extremely oversized, with ballooned-out arms and hoods to match. I can't help thinking the Abominable Snowman's come to town!
MICHAEL KORS
For those who prefer classic chic, Michael Kors is definitely your go-to. This Fall he is offering a collection of work-appropriate fine black and white check dresses with matching coats and solids in red dress and coat sets and monochrome pantsuits. For customers who like to amp things up a bit he has created head-to-toe leather outfits, leopard prints, zebra-print overcoats with matching mini skirts, oversized satin winter coats and faux fur. There is really nothing out of the ordinary in this season's offerings but Michael Kors consistently and successfully provides the chic allure that maintains his following.
OFF-WHITE
If conventionality is not what you're after, enter relative newcomer Off-White. Off-White is an Italian luxury fashion label that was created by American designer Virgil Abloh in 2012. It is currently considered the hottest brand in the world, thus my choice as an influencer of this season's fashion. Off-White is considered a street fashion brand, although much of their Fall collection is appropriate for the office. The brand would appeal to a range of tastes from funky to classic. There are stunning off-shoulder mini dresses with matching boots and leather blazers with matching mini skirts for the youthful, and a great range of beautifully tailored suits for professional people. There are padded boatneck shells with matching shorts, leather blazers with corresponding mini skirts, and knit dresses with interesting cut-outs. You will see beautiful jewel-toned and gradient tie-dyed cable knit sweaters, tailored coats in muted florals, and some sheers to amp things up a bit. There is also some interesting rain gear for coastal people and some oversized down-filled coats with matching vests for the rest of us. Off-White is a brand that offers real clothes for real life, hence their cult status.
SACAI
Sacai is a Tokyo-based brand that began showing designs at Paris Fashion Week in 2009 and quickly rose to become a high fashion mens and womenswear label that also dabbled in androgynous clothing. The Fall 2021 Ready-To-Wear Collection set the runway on fire with splashes of red and cobalt against a predominantly black outerwear collection. Blazing red peacoats paired with red mermaid gowns, cobalt scarves and sweaters paired with cobalt skirts, and splashes of emerald and bronze ensured the collection was anything but boring, but for people who prefer earth tones the collection doesn't disappoint either, as it offers khaki maxi skirts, tees and zippered vests. This is definitely the year of the maxi and the collection has quite a variety to offer. Winter white is making a comeback as well and this collection offers some high-collared full-length sweaters and car coats to accommodate.
If I were to choose three words to describe this coming winter's fashion trends, they would be "Rich, Bold, and Grandiose". No question. Based on what I viewed on the runways the most noticeable element was colour saturation. Brights, neons, and jewel tones, in particular will comprise the outerwear. Patterns and prints will be on a much larger scale (to the extreme) and if they aren't they will be much more colourful and intricate. Footwear will be either thick and chunky, or dainty and pointed. Tote bags will be at the forefront in solid colours or animal prints. Monochromatic dressing (one colour head-to-toe) is now the trend and even includes wearing the same nail polish shade on both your fingers and toes. The designers' inspiration for the Fall/Winter season was the hope of returning to normal, and injecting colour and joy into their collections was their moda operandi!
