TEXTURE
Stylish knitwear and warm winter outerwear in fur, faux fur, shearling and patterned textures. Shaggy and thick-fur coats have basic structure with no collar and a drop shoulder, short-hair versions feature neat shirt, revere or shawl collars. Two-colour checkerboard patterns are a popular trend, while faux chinchilla, leopard and other natural-look patterns are a classic option. Other textures include crushed and patterned velvets, brocade and jacquards, tweed and fleece. Hairy knits and loopy wool construction create a fur-like effect in jackets and sweaters. Knitwear has a hand-crafted look with laddered holes, multi-colour patchwork and decorative crochet. Fringes are part of this textured look, adding movement to the edges of knitwear, outerwear and separates.
TAILORING
Single-colour styling has lots of impact, and trouser suits are an important part of this head-to-toe look. Shades of grey and beige or perpetual black are part of a sustainable core for suits that are highly versatile and adaptable. Bold versions in shades of orange, pink, lilac and pastel blue are a harder sell but have extended use as separate items. Jacket shapes are generally oversized, soft and unstructured or slimline in regular, long and crop lengths – smart tailored shapes are styled down with jeans, combat pants and shorts. Trousers are slim and sharp with forward-facing splits or hang loose and wide with pleats and a high or wrap waist. Tuxedo-style jackets and long-length tailored coats elevate styling, while bold boxy shapes with an extended shoulder add retro-edged glamour.
SEPARATES
Easy, unstructured separates for everyday and evening. Soft, silky skirts with fluid movement are cut into long wraps, layered pleats and ruffles. Shorter styles are patterned and feature leather belt waistbands or sparkly paillettes. Super-short skirts are cut with a curved hemline and shorts are cute, in patterned knits or leather with laced fastenings. Tops are intricate jersey styles, cropped shirts or packed full of dynamic volume. High-impact tops have corset-style structure in cropped proportions, these are sometimes layered over jersey/knitwear or worn layered under tailoring. Trousers are loose and cut wide and easy with soft pleats for daytime or have metallic finishes for a statement look. Shimmer appears in ankle-length chainmail skirts, sequined styles and loose silky styles or a flash of silver lining; these pieces can be worn with other showy items or dressed down with sweaters and sportswear.
PADDED
Quilted and padded fabrics are an essential part of the winter wardrobe, adding warmth and comfort to coats and jackets. Outerwear is inflated with soft downy filler forming structureless duvet-style wrap coats and kimono jackets. Within this framework are patterned linings, gathered seams, pinched stitching and contrast panels or printed surfaces. New on the street scene are quilted pants, skirts and shirts. These feature a flatter type of padding that’s easier to handle and manipulate into structured styles. A similar look to quilting is achieved with neoprene-type fabrics with embossed patterns, which create a similar tessellated surface.
OUTERWEAR
Trench and raincoat styles continue to evolve with the latest versions featuring oversized silhouettes, extended shoulders and experiments in colour blocking and deconstruction. Some of the most interesting concepts are hybrid coats, which combine two contrast styles through layering or cutout techniques. Wool, cashmere and brushed overcoats become longer and voluminous with a loose fit and double-breasted cuts. Feminine touches include volume running through the sleeves and rounded retro collars or blanket-style fringes. Patterns include black and white checks, playful tartans and decorative jacquard and brocades.
LEATHER
Leather, faux leather, suede and shearling are important materials for coats and jackets providing practical seasonal cover and a stylish look. Long coats dip from mid-calf length to dramatic ankle-grazing styles in black, tan and a plethora of colours. Jackets are tailored into smart shapes with a revere collar or oversize versions of biker styles. Motocross insignia or baseball-style motifs add bold graphics to jackets, while textured reptile patterns create interesting surfaces for coats. Leather and leather-look trousers are a great alternative to jeans, skirts are shaped into straight or retro a-line styles. Cut fringes decorate jackets, skirts and sleeveless gilets, which can be worn layered over knitwear, jackets and coats.
DRESSES
Dresses and one-piece looks are full of impact in single shots of colour. Texture is important from silky satin finishes and chainmail to chunky ribs and feather trims. There is order to surface patterns with dog’s-tooth checks, gingham and evenly-spaced dots – as if to add balance, there is also disorder with swirls, painterly florals and animal inspired patterns. The most intriguing trend to emerge are the barely-there dresses. These are decorative and sheer, or full of panels held together with delicate string straps, or bodycon catsuits and clingy dresses with intricate cutouts.
CASUAL
Casualwear is an important sector and forms the core of streetwear. Make room for denim as jeans become wider or expand with tucks, inserts or utility pockets. Jean jackets have added complexity and unique features. COLOURs for jeans range from subtle tints to full-on fluro. Cargo pockets and utility details are added to casual jackets and pants. Sweats and sportswear are oversized or cropped and elevated with corset tops or tailoring.