Now that Labour Day has come and gone and Fall is in full swing you're going to want to know about the fashion that's trending between now and early next Spring. Let's look at what Pantone's Colour Palettes have in store for us, then dive into the latest the big players are offering.
"PANTONE'S COLOUR OF THE YEAR" for 2023, as you've probably already seen, is a very vibrant shade of magenta they are calling "Viva Magenta". You can be sure it's going to be found in the Fall and Winter collections because it is clearly a "Winter" shade in the Seasonal Colour Palettes. You will see a bright shade of denim in the 2024 Spring fashion season as the Pantone 2024 Colour of the Year has been designated "Chambray Blue". Blue is such a versatile and widely accepted colour it is sure to be well received by many. Expect to see a resurgence of neon orange this winter as another 2024 hue is "Orangeade". Throw some emerald or lime greens into the mix and you have a full range of bright, complementary colours you will be able to mix and match.
Let's take a look at the Fall 2023 Ready-To-Wear runways so we can see what's trending right now. RALPH LAUREN always turns out collections that are practical and wearable from the boardroom into the late evening. This season he toned down his colour palette quite a bit by pairing pale beige tones with a variety of pastels and loads of grey in every piece he curated. His runway collection showcased a light beige leather jacket with fringe paired with a soft grey turtleneck and floor-length chiffon skirt with pale lilac flowers; monochromatic (head-to-toe) grey pin-striped suits, belts and large hobo bags; a grey pin-striped suit jacket paired with a pair of shimmering silver wide-leg trousers; a faux-fur grey oversize jacket with grey pleated pants tucked into tall grey boots; a cropped grey turtle-neck sweater paired with a mid-length plissed A-line skirt and grey accessories; a grey trench over a pair of silver satin cuffed pants; and a variety of grey slinky floor-length dresses to take you into the night. There is a large amount of black in this collection, from tops and jackets with faux ostrich feathers to leather pants, coats and jackets with extra long fringe. You will also find some beautiful wine shades in velvet gowns, ruched faux-suede gowns, and satin wrap gowns, as well as emerald green and deep purple thrown into the mix. The entire collection offers a great selection of classic pieces to mix and match, wear to work, and take you into a black-tie evening. Masterful!
If you think the oversize trend is fading you might want to think again because the SCHIAPARELLI F/W 23/24 runway show was chock full of it! There was a black fit 'n flare coat with voluminous balloon sleeves; a stunning purple satin hip-length puffer jacket with square gold hardware; a black linen suit with pants that ballooned out from the hips; a black and white car coat with an oversize shawl collar; and a tan and white sea-inspired patterned jacket with balloon sleeves as well. It's definitely another year of grandiose sleeves at SHIAPARELLI 2023! Designer SIMONE ROCHA is on board with the trend, adding them to her tops and dresses. ROKSANDA have given them a whirl this Fall and even ADAM LIPPES has an elbow-length version in his collection. Expect to see them front and center in our upscale retail stores this season.
One thing I found surprising was the amount of satin used in the Fall 2023 collection by JOHANNA ORTIZ. She must be expecting a warm winter otherwise we're all going to freeze! I always look to her collections for new and interesting colour and pattern combinations and as usual she did not disappoint. Her Fall 2023 collection includes some beautiful coppery-rose shades with a hint of green and gold thrown in; and rust, burnt orange and reddish-orange shades mixed with cream and yellow. Her patterns are typically large but have a nice flow to them. Her latest creation is a rectangle inside a rectangle which she offers in a two-piece mid-length skirt set with a mix of dark tan, pink and purple in the background. There is also a long shirt-dress with a leaf pattern in a unique colour combination of burnt orange and turquoise. Quite the statement piece! The most beautiful pieces in this collection in my opinion were the pleated satin floor-length gowns. Any woman wearing one this season is going to bring the house down!
If anything the Fall 2023 collections are anything but boring with their splashes of bold jewel tones. DIANE VON FURSTENBERG's collection contains her signature wrap-style in an emerald and black floral, a light blue and navy floral, black with a white film pattern, and solid violets, teals and cobalt. An oversize black-and-tan animal print faux fur coat stood strong amidst all those jewel-toned dresses and pant suits. It is a very highly pigmented collection!
If you love floral patterns look to CHRISTIAN DIOR for some inspiration this Fall as they are offering a large collection of dark, rich patterns in brown/tan/orange, black and fuschia, red and chocolate brown, black and yellow and black and emerald. They can be found predominantly in fit and flare and A-line skirt styles but there are some pencil skirts as well. There are also many stunning beaded black cocktail dresses you will want to look to for inspiration in dressing for the coming holiday season. Breathtaking!
And you won't want to overlook the colour red this season because it's jumping out at us from every direction! Red has always been considered a "classic" colour, frequently paired with white or navy however this Fall we will be seeing much brighter hues in our retail stores in everything from turtlenecks to suits. EMILIO PUCCI is offering a lot of it in psychedelic patterns on dresses, jackets, tops and trousers mixed with black and white, and muted blues and greens. JONATHAN COHEN has added some cute little red satin fit 'n flare dresses to his Fall collection and THE ELDER STATESMAN has some great oversize knitted pieces in orangey-red stripes to keep you cozy and warm. DUNDAS will be pairing bright red shades with deep purple this season. HERMES is offering up the colour in wool sweaters, skirts, and jackets, and in suede over-the-knee boots.
If you're wondering what to expect in the months heading into the 2024 New Year look no further than GEORGIO ARMANI. They have taken the Chambray Blue Pantone Colour of the Year to a whole new level with their collection of fitted blue satin floor-length dresses, pants, jackets and jumpsuits. This is a shade of blue that can only be described as cobalt toned-down a notch. It's bright but not overpowering and really cheery and refreshing. I love it and can't wait to find it next spring!
My overall impression of the Fall and Winter 23/24 collections is that deep, saturated colour is going to be "what to wear". There are some pretty pastels thrown in here and there but they will definitely be overpowered by richer hues. Bright magenta, neon orange, and fire engine red are excellent choices if you want to inject some colour into your wardrobe and keep it looking current. Your wardrobe will come alive and you will feel uplifted!
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