What are the Fall Fashion Trends You Need to Know Now?

It’s that time of year. Fall fashion season!  Our correspondent Julie Chang Murphy has an edit of the top fall winter 2020 luxury designer fashion trends you need to know for the upcoming season, to guide your list of what to shop for this autumn. Have fun!

what are the top Fall fashion trends for 2020?

Is fashion as we know it over? The pandemic has accelerated trends that were already brewing for the past few years.

The death of retail. Unsustainable production. Punishing runway show cycles. Not to mention, the lack of meaningful racial representation from designers to models and all throughout the supply chain.

Perhaps a more responsible, thoughtful and equitable industry will emerge from the proverbial ashes. According to tracking by Coresight Research, U.S retailers could announce between 20,000 to 25,000 closures in 2020. On the list are venerable brands like Neiman Marcus, Brooks Brothers, J.Crew, DVF Studio, Ann Taylor, and more who have filed for bancruptcy.

But one thing is for certain. We won’t stay in loungewear forever. If fashion history tells us anything, it’s that people will likely go to the other side of the spectrum.

Think of the frivolous and lavish adornments of the flapper era after World War I (and the 1918 flu pandemic, ahem). Or the nipped waists and voluminous skirts of Dior “New Look” which prescribed ultra-femininity and opulence after years of military and civilian uniforms, sartorial restrictions and shortages.

Going back even further to the Middle Ages, those opulent Renaissance gowns and jewels? Social class was upended as the bubonic plague killed almost 50 million souls and spending on fashion could be interpreted as a calculated way to move up the ladder and broadcast one’s status in a changing world.

While we have not quite emerged from our current pandemic scenario, these are the fall trends vying for a spot in our closet. Which, is really to say, these are some of the ways women will be expressing and defining themselves for this during this moment in time. Here are the top 10 trends for Fall 2020.

the top 10 luxury designer fall 2020 fashion trends

1. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

A word about sustainability– it’s not just about dresses made from plastic bottles. As designers streamline their presentations (good-bye resort and pre-fall collections), others are turning to the made-to-order atelier model. There is a focus on buying less and buying higher quality clothes that will last through the years.

And then there’s the second hand market. Online resellers like Poshmark and Thredup have thrived during the pandemic. Not only is it a more economical option, but nowadays, the sustainability factor has erased much of the stigma associated with shopping second-hand.

I, for one, love boasting about a treasure found on The Real Real!

As Alexis DeSalva, a senior analyst at market research firm, Mintel, is quoted in the New York Times, “All of this time at home has left people considering how wasteful the fashion industry is and when people do treat themselves during this period, they can rationalize it more when it’s better for both their wallets and the environment.”

From left to right: John Galliano’s recycling experiments at Maison Margiela, an upcycled dress at Marine Serre, Gabriela Hearst’s coat made from repurposed Turkish Kilim remnants, and Stella McCartney’s alternative fur coat.

2. Va-va-va Volume

What better way to face the future than under cover? Whether it’s a puffy leg of mutton sleeve, voluminous cape, tiers of ruffles, or a flouncy skirt that gives you a wide berth. It’s a dramatic look that feels luxurious and even, cozy.

3. A Black Swan Event

Is black ever not in style? Definitely not this season. Call it priestly or witchy or The Matrix, designers too numerous to name were all serving up head-to-tie black. The looks have a theatrical quality whether it’s the long hemlines or the all leather.

From left to right: Gabriela Hearst, Givenchy, Erdem, Louis Vuitton

4.  Posh Plaid

Plaid was a vehicle for some nostalgic references – from prep school uniforms to 80s power suits and of course, 90s grunge. Paired with black leather pants or constructed with high, Victorian necklines, the look is undeniably luxurious.

5. Shiny Happy People

It wasn’t all dark and somber on the runways. Plenty of shimmer and shine broke through with sequined dresses– mini, midi and maxi. Maybe those flappers were onto something…

6. Seventies Sass

It isn’t surprising that 70s styling has been making a comeback. After all, it was a time of revolution, protest and important social movements including women’s rights, gay rights and civil rights. And disco– they knew how to have fun too.

7. Fringe Benefits

No deep thoughts about fringe other than that it’s pure swishy fun. Although it’s typically seen on a cowboy boot or handbag, this season, designers used it on actual garments for eye-catching texture.

8. Victorian Dolls

This might well be the love it or hate it trend of the season. High, ruffled necklines dominated the collections- the bigger the better. The effect is less prudish and more about a rococo exuberance and optimism.

9. Velvet Underground

We sure have been loving our french terry sweats. But, come fall, we’re making the switch to sumptuous but equally soft velvet. While it might be a fabric typically associated with the holidays, these designers show how it can be languidly elegant for the everyday.

10. Scarlet Fever

The color of the season besides black, brown, and gray? It’s the family of reds– from bright tomato to burgundy telling us to be bold and be brave.

the top 10 luxury designer fall 2020 fashion trends

There you have it- the 10 most relevant fashion trends this fall. Which ones are you getting behind?

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Crediting her training as a cultural anthropologist at Wellesley College, Julie has immersed herself in various industries in the last 15 years including fashion design, event planning, and fitness. Julie lives in New York where she loves trying every ramen and dumpling restaurant with her husband and three children. She finds joy in bold prints, biographies of fierce women, kickboxing. And spending way too long finding the perfect polish color to express her mood.

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