2023 Fashion Trends: An eclectic mix of everything everywhere all at once | By Allyson Portee

It's a new year and we’re just waiting for AW23 to peak its head in February to see what next year’s autumn-winter trends will be. 

But for the most part, brands have shown us what trends to look out for during the spring-summer months this year, and it’s quite a mix.

Lots of shapes coming in the form of oversized pockets, large blazers, and flowing capes, as well romantic silhouettes in lacey textiles and daring looks in the form of denim and leather are most popular. The style trends vary with something for every style.

Here are the trends that will define 2023 in fashion. 

Y2K nostalgia

Several designers from Matthew M. Williams (Givenchy), to Hedi Slimane (Celine), and Diesel had strong early 2000s references with printed designs, a lot of denim references, low waistbands, baggy pants, and a matching bra and skirt- or pants ensemble. There are indie and rock references in these Y2K ensembles.

Slimane’s Winter 2023 collection unveiled last year in LA included oversized ensembles in chocolate, dark brown, and coal black earthen tones. You’ll know you’ve spotted a Y2K nostalgic trend when there’s a fully denim dress (who can forget Britney Spears’ full denim look on the 2001 AMA red carpet, and Katy Perry bringing it back on the 2022 CMA red carpet?), or baggy jeans in high waist or extremely low waist lines, or wide pant leg.

Sharp suiting and oversized blazers

Everyone who knows the British designer Paul Smith know he’s a master at tailored suits. 

His 2023 looks, as well as other European design houses from Victoria Beckham, Valentino, and Chanel unveiled oversized yet tailored blazers in their 2023 season collection reveals. 

A trend within this trend are these tailored blazers being big enough to look like mini dresses.

Lace

Dior's artistic director Maria Grazia Chiuri in channelled her love of lace and French royalty with a Catherine de Medici inspired showcase. 

De Medici incorporated new innovations into French fashion from heels, to the corset, and Burano lace. So Chiuri introduced lace collars and lace dresses, of all hem lengths in Dior’s SS23 women’s runway collection.

Carolina Herrera, Elie Saab, LoveShackFancy, Burberry at their delayed show in respect to the Queen’s passing, and Versace all incorporated lace in sweeping silhouettes and maxi dresses for their SS23 collections.

Crazy for pockets

No, these aren’t your dad’s cargo shorts or your grandpa's pants covered in pockets for fishing. The SS23 runway was in pocket overload on skirts, tennis shoes, and jackets. 

Back to Maria Grazia Chiuri, she created cute cargo pants. And Loewe created a series of cargo jackets in camel brown. Ib Kamara also explored large pockets for Off-White’s SS23 “Celebration” runway show in Paris in September. 

But when you think about that show, Kamara incorporated quite a lot of seasonal trends of leather pants and boots, oversized blazers, circular cut outs on blazers exposing skin- also another trend. Stella McCartney, Louis Vuitton, and Miu Miu all attempted pockets galore in their collections as well.

Dramatic capes

Capes are a unique way of expressing one’s own sense of style, in more than a coat and jacket. Valentino’s own Pierpaolo Piccioli heavily labeled pieces with the Maison’s logo at their SS23 runway show, and dropped some dramatic capes. 

Simple pants, leather pants since the fabric is trending, and long dresses can be paired with capes. Alaïa and Issey Miyake also created dramatic capes.

A blast from the past

Chanel was the first European luxury brand to host a runway show in Sub-Saharan Africa. They did this last year from Dakar, Senegal for their Métiers d’art collection. Creative director Virginie Viard gave a nod to the 70s with Barrymore-esque (a nod to actor John Barrymore) long collars with long points.

Tapping into the pop-soul-funk disco 70s era there was no shortage of flared pants, and patterned blouses paired with vested blazers. 

And Louis Vuitton, Jil Sander, and Chanel again tapped into the Roaring 1920s-esque feathers accented on silhouettes, and wraparound boas for a century later Roaring 2020s.