Top 10 Fall 2023 Runway Shows
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Who knew real clothes could be so revolutionary?
With the focus set on timeless wardrobing pieces and real-life wearability during the fall 2023 collections, they were.
More from WWD
Maybe it was a final bid to leave pandemic-era work-from-home loungewear behind, or the desire for a sartorial uniform as a kind of armor for uncertain times, but designers made a strong case for tailoring, from Sarah Burton’s return to the Savile Row roots of Alexander McQueen to Chitose Abe’s sliced, tiered and hiked-up pin-striped suits at Sacai, Louis Vuitton’s blanket-soft herringbone blazers and pants to Simone Rocha’s sublime sailor-inspired styles.
There was a resounding theme of elevating everyday pieces — Bottega Veneta’s cult leather jeans being exhibit A.
Matthew Blazy also touched on the lingerie trend with sheer dressing gowns, luxe floral long johns and sock boots, and showed some of the season’s best statement outerwear with broad shoulders and whittled waists — in croc-stamped leather or creamy Persian lamb.
At Prada, Raf Simons called the idea “daily couture,” and the collection he designed with Miuccia Prada was full of it, including the perfect black pants, army shirts and classic crewneck sweaters, more fanciful origami flower-decorated white skirts, and volume-back military coats. Loewe, too, elevated everyday leather shirtdresses, twisty knits and sweet trompe l’oeil dresses to must-haves.
For others, the red carpet was top of mind. At Rodarte, Kate and Laura Mulleavy’s Gothic fairy-tale gowns were breathtaking, and at Paco Rabanne, Julien Dossena paid homage to the late innovator by showing a masterful mix of Space Age and modern age that swished with chainmail, chandelier crystals and fringed tinsel.
Fashion’s return to reality meant a substantial break from runway fireworks, though there were exceptions, notably Thom Browne’s epic runway staging of “The Little Prince.” Wearable clothes may have been the season’s dominant storyline, but that alone wasn’t going to bring the spotlight back to New York, at least not according to the new CFDA chairman. You have to put on a show.
Here are WWD’s top 10 collections.
Launch Gallery: Top 10 Fall 2023 Runway Shows
Best of WWD
