One month, four cities, 247 shows. During last year's Spring/Summer 2023 runway season, fashion week felt as if it had finally been restored to its former (pre-pandemic) glory. Between New York, London, Milan and Paris the runways were a veritable feast for the senses, complete with moments of magic—how exactly did that spray create a dress?—and theatrics a plenty.
Between the emerging trends, fresh faces and the absolute must-see moments, Marie Claire’s runway report is here to bring you everything you need to know about the Spring/Summer 2023 fashion trends. Plus, now that the season is finally here, we're showing you exactly how the catwalk looks are set to translate into your IRL wardrobe. Keep scrolling as we recap the Spring/Summer 2023 fashion trends you need to know about and how to wear them now.
THE SPRING/SUMMER 2023 FASHION TRENDS
1. Coming Up Roses
Quintessential ditsy floral prints have been eschewed this season in favour of bold, three-dimensional flowers. Physically blooming from tops, skirts and dresses, florals have become far more tactile than in seasons past, taking the form of appliques or fabric structures. Designers, including Loewe, Carolina Herrera and Roksanda have also played with proportions, supersizing rosettes and anthurium flowers to create statement silhouettes. In fact, Tagwalk estimates that around 270 looks were embellished with flowers throughout the Spring/Summer 2023 season. It seems that everything is coming up roses, literally.
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2. Sheer Layering
It was the season of see-through, as sheer and transparent looks appeared all over the Spring/Summer 2023 runways. According to TagWalk, an estimated 77% of designers included transparent looks in their collections, further solidifying the trend’s prominence. Going hand-in-hand with the sheer trend, we have also witnessed a rise in VPL this season. Designers styled see-through skirts and dresses alongside visible underwear and branded bras. Molly Goodard displayed transparent tulle dresses over stripped sets, while Miu Miu continued its campaign for co-ords showcasing sheer separates worn alongside logo-emblazoned underwear.
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3. Not Your Grandma’s nighties
Sleepwear is no longer just for sleeping. This season designers have taken inspiration from women’s nighties and negligees in the creation of their ready-to-wear collections. At Christopher Kane, JW Anderson and Burberry, lace was used to trim the hems of slinky silk dresses and skirts. While Prada debuted sheer dresses with lace insets around the neckline. (Some noted these looked akin to the sleepwear worn by Mia Farrow in Rosemary’s Baby.) Further adding to the sleepwear trend, Tagwalk reports that 59% of designers included lingerie of some description in their collections.
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4. Sunset Shades
Dreaming of a summer holiday? Us too. Evidently, designers are no different as, this season, sunset shades reminiscent of the ombre skies you’d see on a beach vacation were all over the runway. Catwalks were awash with a palette that harmoniously fused reds, yellows and oranges, evoking a sense to calm and relaxation. The trend predominantly took off in Milan, with designers including Ferragamo, Etro and GCDS embracing ombre shades. In Paris, brand-on-the-rise Courrèges showed a sunset shade knit midi dress and crop top.
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5. Off By Heart
Between the runway show turned theatrical Cinderalla story presented at Thom Browne and the myriad of hearts seen across the runways, one thing is for sure: love was in the air this fashion month. The Spring/Summer 2023 runways saw brands including Paul & Joe, Victoria Beckham and Acne Studios go all in on the romantic motif, with heart symbols appearing as prints or being sewn into the silhouettes of dresses. Nensi Dojaka took the trend one step further, featuring hollow heart-shaped cut-outs on dresses, bra tops and on the waistband of trousers.
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6. Hooded Dresses
Interestingly, we have already seen this trend translated into real life as celebrities including Olivia Wilde, Bella Hadid and Michaela Coel have been spotted on the red carpet wearing hooded dresses since they appeared on the Spring/Summer 2023 runways. Reminiscent of the looks once seen on icon Grace Jones, dramatic hooded dresses were included in the collections of Versace, Alberta Ferretti and Philosophy Di Lorenzo Serafini. However, it was certainly Saint Laurent that leaned into this silhouette most prominently, as almost half of the looks in its entire S/S23 col