These are the top trends you need to get on your radar for the AW15 fashion season...
The autumn 2015 fashion season is upon us, and of course, we don’t really want to acknowledge its chilly presence either. But with a rainbow of power coats, tons of Victoriana lace and a major Eighties style revival to get our heads around, there are plenty of hot new trends to be excited about. Here's our edit of the AW15 fashion trends that matter…
Fluff Love From curly sheep gilets in glorious, bold colours to abominable snow jackets turning models into (still gorgeous) monsters, a warm and fuzzy coat is your first essential buy of AW15. Statement shearling ruled at Lanvin and Roksanda, while Louis Vuitton and Stella McCartney made maxi faux furs thick enough to fight off that next polar vortex. Topshop Unique and Simone Rocha even lined their shoes with the stuff.
(Images: Roksanda, Lanvin, Thakoon and Preen AW15 fashion shows)
Eighties Revival Olivier Rousteing’s Balmain show was one big fashion throwback, with power shoulders, ruffles and big old retro belts, all worked in a single look. Elsewhere, Christopher Kane, J.W. Anderson and more declared jewel-toned lurex to be the party fabric of the season.
(Image: Balmain AW15 fashion show)
Spotlight On: Cuffs AW15’s favourite zone to experiment with? The wrist. Celine went XXL with their beautifully gathered bell cuffs, while Michael Kors and Gucci chose to emphasise sleeves with muff-style fluffy panels.
(Images: Celine and Michael Kors AW15 fashion shows)
Boho’s Back (Again!) Yes, that Seventies show swings on for a second season. The 1970s fashion vibe has gone more folksy than glam rock this time, with Burberry Prorsum, Valentino and Lanvin piling on the prints and fringing in a total texture overload. Houses like Chloe were in their element once more, building on the hit dresses from their spring collections with new layers of suede and patchwork knits. Key piece? The poncho.
(Images: Burberry, Chloe and Lanvin AW15 fashion shows)
Code Red Scarlet, traffic light, crimson or ketchup - whatever you want to call it, there’s no denying AW15’s stand-out colour trend. From Dior to Marni, Fendi to Ferragamo, every designer was working the hue in head-to-toe forms, cutting some of the boldest figures of the season and doing Chris de Burgh proud in the process.
(Images: Salvatore Ferragamo, Marni, Christian Dior and Hermes AW15 fashion shows)
The Debutante She’s the lady who does lunch - probably at Karl Lagerfeld’s haute brasserie. Chanel, Balenciaga, Stella McCartney and more are urging us to get elegant in tulip skirts and décolletage-baring dresses. How to make the look modern? Prada’s stiff satin empire lines were teamed with industrial rubber shoes and those opera-length gloves come in spray-on green leather. Pretty cool, right?
(Images: Balenciaga, Prada and Stella McCartney AW15 fashion shows)
More Is More Jewellery Ok, you don’t have to go quite as extreme as Givenchy (below). But bling is back in a big way for AW15. FKA Twigs-style nose rings are the fash-pack’s most-desired, but there was a stack ‘em high approach to chandelier earrings and statement necklaces at Lanvin, Miu Miu and Balenciaga, too.
(Image: Givenchy AW15 fashion show)
Bold Moves Vivid, graphic patterns swirled across the collections at Dior, Pucci, Loewe and more, sending fashion editors into a daze with all those optical illusions. Wear top-to-toe if you’re feeling bold or do a Jonathan Saunders and break things up with some retro colour blocking.
(Images: Christian Dior, Emilio Pucci and Jonathan Saunders AW15 fashion shows)
Gothic Romance Moody lace and high ruffle necklines cut beautiful, costume-worthy silhouettes at Alexander McQueen, Alberta Ferretti and Rodarte. The 19th century vibes ruled over the beauty world too, as deep berry lips and period drama hair vamped-up the dark glam look even further.
(Image: Alexander McQueen and Giles AW15 fashion shows)
Like Velvet Softly, softly, say Giorgio Armani, Alexander Wang and Christopher Kane. In suits, flares, dresses and capes, rich coloured velvet popped up at the shows in every city - just in time for cocktail hour.
(Image: Christopher Kane and Giorgio Armani AW15 fashion shows)
Glam Geeks Gucci’s kooky-cool bookworm has a little Margot Tenenbaum about her, while Tommy Hilfiger’s varsity girl wears her team colours on her sleeve - literally. The only thing missing from Chloe’s professeur chic, meanwhile, is a couple of suede elbow patches. We’ll meet you in the library.
(Image: Gucci AW15 fashion show)
Avant Garde Tailoring Tailoring’s new proportions are oversized and asymmetric. Think Stella McCartney’s draped hero blazers, think Victoria Beckham’s wrap-waist trousers. Think a little androgynous and a lot architectural.
(Images: Phillip Lim and Stella McCartney AW15 fashion shows)
The Clash Can’t decide which AW15 trend to try first? Just pile ‘em all on at once, say Burberry, Marni, Mary Katrantzou and more, who clicked and clashed their bold new prints to brilliant effect. Saturated florals that looked like they were borrowed from interiors could be unexpectedly teamed with patchwork suede or, in Katrantzou’s case, futuristic Styrofoam panels. The easiest way to get dressed for the new season is with an anything goes attitude.
(Images: Erdem, Burberry Prorsum and Mary Katrantzou AW15 fashion shows)
The High Line Just how high can your high neck go? The sartorial challenge is on as DKNY, Hermes and Sonia Rykiel stretched the boundaries of polo neck dressing, layering with everything from mannish tailoring to glitzy minidresses.
(Images: DKNY, Hermes and Sonia Rykiel AW15 fashion shows)
Check On It A fashion favourite gets an AW15 update – distorted and stretched across fluffy knits at Bottega Veneta, quilted into 3D forms at Chanel, or doused in sweet ‘n sour colour combos at Miu Miu.
(Images: Henry Holland AW15 fashion show)
Duvet Dressing Supermodels once swore they wouldn’t get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day. Now it seems not even money is temptation enough at Fendi, Celine and more, covers came onto the catwalk. These super-quilted coats will be, without doubt, the best way to snuggle up come winter. Just wake us up when it’s SS16…
(Images: Max Mara, Celine and Fendi AW15 fashion shows)
