Extravagant fur. Rainbow-hued hosiery. Sculptural hats. Here’s what we’ll all be wearing in a few seasons from now.
There may be a famine of beauty in the world, but fashion month has kept us well-fed. From February to March, the world’s major style capitals served no shortage of sartorial splendour and polarizing cultural antics. The Row went viral for banning the use of phones at its hyper-exclusive show. Coperni debuted a bag made of 99 percent air. There was even a Kate Moss doppelgänger gallivanting about! But through it all, the lasting excitement came from the looks on the runway — which will set the tone for fall winter 2024 fashion trends.
Designers continued to showcase their preference for peplum, sheer and elevated athleisure while bringing fresh pairings into the mix. Meanwhile, cold-weather staples like hats and coats took on different roles with luxe textures and unconventional shapes. From controversial new high-fashion codes to more-is-more accessorizing themes, we’re breaking down the biggest fall winter 2024 fashion trends, taken straight from the runways.
In-your-face furs
Contentious as it may be, no trend has dominated fashion month quite like fur. Fuzzy voluminous jackets, fluffy detailing and long mane-like trenches populated the runways across all the style cities. Alexander McQueen, Prabal Gurung and Miu Miu were among the labels who made the case for the XL fur coat, while Conner Ives, David Koma and Burberry weaved the textile into collars, statement sashes and extravagant hoods.
As it takes front and centre of the dressing zeitgeist, the garment type is once again shrouded with the age-old question of ethics. One thing’s for sure: because of its moral ambiguity, there’s something undeniably provocative about showing up in fur.
Bring on the belts
Why wear one belt when you can wear two? Or three? Or…seven?! In recent seasons, designers have resurfaced their fascination for the unnecessary but aesthetically pleasing belt. And the Fall 2024 runways took that to new heights by layering belts with reckless abandon.
Michael Kors and JW Anderson put refined spins on the trend, doubling-up on monochromatic straps for a cinched take on power dressing. Meanwhile, labels like Dauphinette and Junya Watanabe went the conceptual route, stacking on a bounty of bands with an edgy final effect. We have only two words of advice for this burgeoning belt trend: Buckle up.
Subversively styled sweaters
Sweaters are no longer just pull-on garments for keeping you warm in a pinch. This season, their coziness took a backseat to their surprising styling tricks. Across the Fall 2024 runways, designers abandoned the regular method of sweater-wearing for more out-of-the-box choices.
Fendi presented a twisted-up top, while Michael Kors layered up chunky knits with bulky knots. For even more innovation, Proenza Schouler championed the one-arm-in, one-arm-out look. After all, indecisiveness can be quite chic, you know.
Head-turning hats
Bid your beanies goodbye. Next fall, fashion will be all about the audacious chapeau. Across catwalks, statement hats of various shapes and sizes usurped the usual practical add-ons of chillier seasons for more aesthetically pleasing accoutrements.
Chanel gave us floppy wide-brimmed offerings. Alexander McQueen presented leather cowboy caps. There were sleek sculptural statements at Louis Vuitton and retro newsboy caps at Anna Sui. Fforme even reinvented the humble knitted tuque with a form-fitting swim-cap-reminiscent design. So, if you’re looking for a way to reinvent your style this season, consider adding some fanciful headgear into the mix.
Atypical turtlenecks
Steve Jobs and Elizabeth Holmes, look away. Traditional turtlenecks are being turned up a notch, with designers at fashion month making them bigger, bolder and entirely new. Brands like Acne Studios and Coperni brought necklines several inches higher, while Proenza Schouler and Max Mara opted for ultra-wide collars.
Turtlenecks are often thought of as sterile, to-the-point tops for no-fuss professional attire. But as one of the most prominent fall winter 2024 fashion trends, high-neck designs are proving to be a tool for total outfit elevation.
Lively legs
You’ve heard of the red tights renaissance. You’ve weathered the return of white balletcore stockings. Now, the world of hosiery is truly tasting the rainbow, with an assortment of endlessly colourful options. Forrest green tights graced the runway at Puppets and Puppets. Helen Anthony made the case for monochromatic mustard-yellow limbs. On Miu Miu’s runway, models’ legs were covered in all sorts of saturated hues.
With grunge undertones and a dash of childhood whimsy, fashion’s fascination with vibrant tights is an apt reflection of today’s unpredictable times. Also, it’s just plain fun.
Walking on the wild side
Is leopard print a neutral? The runways of fashion month would argue yes. In 2023, we were given the first promise (or threat, depending on how you look at it) that animal-print pieces would be coming back in style. And designers just cemented the return.
Using a more-is-more styling strategy, runways presented the pattern in full-body ‘fits, from trenches with matching dresses to cascading capes. In contrast to the quiet luxury mood of recent years, the modern iteration of loud leopard dressing is all about revelling in risks. Believe it or not, when it comes to outfit pairings with this pattern, the paw-sibilities are endless.
