The Trend Report: AW21
The wait is over! As the new season starts to arrive in our boutiques (both IRL and URL), it’s time to get a refresher on what to look out for in your AW21 wardrobe. Whether you’re going head-to-toe or simply having a taste, these are the trends that caught our eye from the AW21 collections...
Come As You Are
Can we ever get enough of the grunge superstar Kurt Cobain? Looking at AW21’s collections, it appears we’ve yet to have our fill of the iconic rockstar and his equally iconic style. (When it looks this good, who can blame us?) Delivering a contemporary twist on the classic 90s look, designers leant into the slouchy fuzzy knits that characterised Cobain’s aesthetic, with the likes of Balenciaga, Marine Serre, Our Legacy and AMIRI all serving up the goods. Layering is key, with top marks going to new name Namacheko for best-in-class proportion play.
Duvet Days
Reflecting the overarching mood of the past year, designers seemed to gravitate towards textures that felt protective and comforting - blending this emotional mood with sharp styling to create pieces that blended luxury desirability with, well, duvet chic! Swaddling us in a squishy layer of padding, we saw styles from Givenchy, Fendi and Samuel Ross’ A-COLD-WALL* leading the way with downy delights that will see you right the way through the winter months.
Ivy League
AW21 saw designers leaping to the top of the league tables with an Ivy League-inspired preppy aesthetic that was top of the class in trendsetting terms. The key, of course, lies in argyle-print knits layered with a classic polo underneath. Gucci, Wales Bonner and Y/Project were all taking notes, with the latter even adding two extra V-neck collars as a kind of ironic boffin signature. Either way, graduating from one season to the next never looked so good.
Alpine Adventure
Outdoor dressing has many iterations - perhaps you’re a techwear stalwart (hello Arc'teryx), or a stylish country bumpkin in your Barbour jacket and Hunter wellies. Well, this season nothing compares to a traditional Alpine adventure on the slopes when it comes to The Great Outdoors. Fuzzy collars will keep your ears warm, whilst cuddly coats from Browns newcomers Holzweiler and ERL make for cosy Alpine cool. Looking to embrace the 70s spirit of a cognac hot chocolate at the après-ski? Look to Stefan Cooke, Phipps and Casablanca for geometrics knits of the vintage variety.
Basic Instinct
In the iconic 1992 film, Sharon Stone said there’s nothing sexier than a capsule wardrobe that transcends the seasons. OK, so that might be a little off-script, but it’s true that there’s something incredibly alluring about stylish staples that bring out the best in their wearer. Check out Lemaire, Jil Sander and newcomer Fen Cheng Wang’s AW21 collections for evidence of the fact. Even the oft-flamboyant Simon Jacquemus brought it back to basics this season with simple pieces that whisper understated French cool.
Related Reading:
The Trend Report: SS21
The Trend Report: SS21 Accessories
The A-Z of Fashion Month SS21
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