Why, yes, it is that time of year again: It's the glorious beginning of fashion month. The fall/winter 2021 shows have officially kicked off in New York this week, and although the pandemic has restricted the number of in-person events, the show must (literally) go on. Virtually, of course. So in addition to NY mainstays like Jason Wu and Prabal Gurung, we're excited to see brands that are getting hotter by the minute, from Maisie Wilen and PH5.
Let's face it—the frenzied week can be a bit overwhelming to digest, so consider this your ultimate cheat sheet to the Big Apple shows. Below, we're breaking down every noteworthy show with the standout looks and the emerging trends from each. Expect these looks will be all over your Instagram feeds next spring. Don't say we didn't warn you.
Thus far into 2021, we've already been noting how the cutouts trend is taking hold, but given the recent fall/winter collections we viewed this week, the eye-catching silhouettes aren't going anywhere. We're bookmarking the scooped-out knitwear like the ones presented by Jonathan Simkhai and Bevza as a potential key buy for fall.
Coats so puffy and cloud-like that you're tempted to take a nap in them—that's the vibe for fall. Plenty of designers from Marina Moscone to Claudia Li are all on board, showing quilted puffer coats in their collections that ranged from crystal-embellished to understated.
We first made note of the sweater vest trend last September and, well, I'll just say it: we told you so. Now that the fall runways in New York have spoken, we can confirm that the knit is officially here to stay. The way to wear it for fall? Layered over a long skirt à la Jason Wu, Bevza, and PH5.
Clearly, nothing is immune to the world of Bridgerton fandom. In the wake of the cult-popular Netflix show that everyone and their mother is obsessed with, a fashion aesthetic is emerging. These themes were echoed on the fall runways where the eveningwear looks from Prabal Gurung and Markarian aligned with the corsets, floral prints, and dainty bowties that define the look.
There's new neutral in town and it feels completely fresh from what we've seen in seasons past. Deep shades of indigo appeared on the runways in NYC this week in all manner of ensembles from Western-inspired denim to sleek suiting.
Less of a trend and more of a styling trick, we saw several of these layered T-shirt moments and simply couldn't ignore them. They feature a long sleeve tee in a bright color underneath a boxier T-shirt in a way that feels very skater kid-inspired. Per Private Policy, this is such an easy way to add a pop of color to an all-black look.
