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Welcome to The Who What Wear Podcast. Think of it as your direct line to the designers, stylists, beauty experts, editors, and tastemakers who are shaping the fashion-and-beauty world. Subscribe to The Who What Wear Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Is minimalism on its way out? According to Who What Wear senior editor Anna LaPlaca, we may be seeing a shift toward individualism.
“I think one of the main overall style shifts that we’re noticing is the move toward individualism, and it’s sort of as a response to this era that we were in over the past few years of hyper-minimalism and really stark looks that leaned on neutrality and logo-less designs and really discrete dressing,” LaPlaca said.
While it doesn’t mean we’ll see away with minimalism altogether, new aesthetics are emerging. One of those aesthetics is “the modern bourgeoisie,” according to LaPlaca. “The trend is really all about these ornate, lavish, and really opulent clothing items and really putting them together in this way that is just so visually appealing.”
For the latest episode of The Who What Wear Podcast, LaPlaca shares the trends that have emerged this year, the hot-ticket items, and more. Read her full piece here.
For excerpts from their conversation, scroll below.
I know in a lot of conversations recently, it seems like people are excited about the direction that fashion is going in as a whole. We spent our time in the minimalism, quiet luxury world for quite a bit. I feel like there’s room for a little more personality, a little more experimentation and personal style coming through. I’m curious if that was reflected in your findings?
You’re very spot-on. I think one of the main overall style shifts that we’re noticing is the move toward individualism, and it’s sort of as a response to this era that we were in over the past few years of hyper-minimalism and really stark looks that leaned on neutrality and logo-less designs and really discrete dressing.
What we’re noticing now is that we’re stepping into this era of, like I said, individualism. It’s an explosion of personal style.
There’s a number of items and examples that I want to point to for this that have happened already this year, and obviously, the big one is the proliferation of bag charms, as we’ve noticed with a lot of celebrities and fashion people accessorizing their handbags.
COACH
Small New York Cluster Bag Charm
COS
Beaded Leather Bag Charm
What other aesthetics are happening?
There is a new aesthetic that we’re noticing based on what went on on the spring 2025 runways. It’s a trend we’re calling “the modern bourgeoisie.”
The trend is really all about these ornate, lavish, and opulent clothing items and putting them together in this way that is just so visually appealing.
It really is the antithesis of this ideal of minimalism that we’ve seen.
Some of the designers who are at the forefront of this are Valentino, under the new creative direction of Alessandro Michele, which is very exciting.
Dries Van Noten did this, [and] Saint Laurent proposed a number of looks that had this really opulent energy.
For us, it’s being done in a very ’80s-coded way, where you have strong-shouldered jackets and these ruffled skirts and an explosion of prints and colors, all combined throughout the same look.
One theory could be that in the ’80s, there was a very noteworthy recession and then inflation that really defined the early ’80s.
If we’re talking about ’80s fashion and that era of excess and more is more, I think you could probably draw a through line to today with the inflation that’s happening and what is going on in the background of our day-to-day lives.
I am no economist, but it’s easy to see that those two things are being mirrored right now, and I think that that’s really fascinating.
THE FRANKIE SHOP
Gaia Double-Breasted Wool-Blend Coat
What about narrowing down to those hot-ticket items or styles that people are gravitating toward to signify the wealth or the status that you mentioned before?
I think this comes with no surprise, but barn coats are a huge part of this idea of signaling wealth and status and are a trend that is absolutely defining fall style right now.
This is something that we’re seeing at the luxury level and also at the affordable level.
j.crew
Petite Long Barn Jacket in Waxed Cotton Twill
What about other brands?
Loro Piana is a huge one. Although, that certainly falls within the category of quiet luxury.
What we’re seeing now falls in line with this as well, where it’s a brand that Gen Z is now becoming hyper aware of, in no small part because of the TikToker Gstaad Guy, who I think has some hilarious videos, but also because there are some key items that are emerging from the brand that we’re just kind of seeing on the mainstream level.
The Rebecca flats, which are a really beautiful, elongated, pointed-toe flat, are beloved by Elsa Hosk and Jasmine Tookes.
We’re also seeing lots and lots of iterations on those in the affordable market.
Loro Piana
Rebecca Ballerinas
Theory
Pointed Flat in Leather
I would also add on to that the L19 bag, which is a vanity case–style pochette that’s definitely having its viral moment online, which is, you know, a bit ironic because it’s a pretty discrete bag in its silhouette.
It’s something that, if you have it, you know what it is. If you see it on the street, you know exactly what it is.
I would definitely also add Ralph Lauren to this list, who represents everything Americana, equestrian.
Even in terms of sports, they had a huge impact in the tennis world this year with activations at Wimbledon and even at the Olympics.
Bottega Veneta
Bang Bang Vanity Case in Barolo
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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