Fall winter 2019 Fashion Trends: The Only New Fashion Looks You Need to Know Part 1
Autumn/Winter 2019
I don't think I've ever seen so many trends! The autumn/winter 2019 fashions are, to say the least, varied, vast and very much going to suit your style, whatever that may be. If you're a minimalist, there's much to love. If you're a maximalist, this is an epic time for you too. If you like colour, great. If you hate colour, fabulous! Want to dress like you're permanently at a party? That's an entirely legitimate planned, backed by many big industry hitters, including Marc Jacobs and Versace.
Prefer to get a slick working wardrobe in order for autumn? Multiple savvy designers are catering to your needs and stepping up to fill the gigantic fashion hole Phoebe Philo has left in her wake since departing (old) Celiné. Want to be a total show-off for A/W 19? You'll have a great deal to choose from when it comes to loud colours, bold prints and even more statement-making silhouettes. But if you'd like to keep things chic and simple, there are many elegant, quiet pieces to combine together to that effect: You can't go wrong with Burberry's tailoring or (new) Celine's renewed bourgeois vibe.
It was a season where emotions, personalities and uniqueness reigned supreme. The monthlong round of shows culminated in a heart-warming and outstanding Chanel show—the last ever technically created by the late creative director, Karl Lagerfeld. An alpine scene magically assembled within Paris's Grand Palais featured a lineup of Chanel girls old and new, and a finale to rival any—with the likes of Karen Elson, unable to hold back the tears, walking through the "snow" next to Cara Delevingne, Mica Argañaraz and Penelope Cruz, to name but a few high-profile faces. The show also confirmed that one of the designer's most beloved of fabrics—bouclé—was set to be a trending choice for A/W 19.
Over in London, things were distinctly more aggressive: Punk and themes of dissonance could be felt strongly (Brexit, much?), with plenty of tartan, more safety pins than even Johnny Rotten could handle and Vivienne Westwood staging an entire protest about climate change for her show. The strong mood could clearly be felt over the Channel, too, as British designer Sarah Burton's vision for Alexander McQueen this coming season established the poshest and most brilliantly executed iteration on punk we've seen in a long, long time. And talking of being combative, if you don't pick up on the "army" theme of many of the season's biggest shows (Bottega Veneta, Chloé, Miu Miu) and end up buying a pair of combat boots, I'll eat my bucket hat.
In addition to bovver boots, a treasure trove of key pieces to plunder awaits you:
Some you may own already (dig out that camel sweater), but a few entirely new-looking items will probably be worth the hype (that JW Anderson trench coat is going to sell out so fast). We chart those below, as well as all of the teeny-tiny details that make a difference, like a choker necklace—they're back—as well as the most of-the-moment colours, prints, fabrics, silhouettes, formulas and overarching themes that make up autumn/winter 2019's top trends. From dark floral dresses (Paco Rabanne wins) to the kind of tights every fashion girl will wear when the centigrade drops (with crystals on, please), here's what's what for autumn.THE A/W 19 COLOUR PALETTE:
Pictured clockwise from top left: Molly Goddard; Lanvin; Lemaire; Courrèges
What started off as a micro-offshoot from last year's omnipresent beige, "stick of butter yellow," as it was so ingeniously coined by journalist Harling Ross, is now bigger business than many might have expected.
"Butter-yellow hues offered a fresh new palette for the season, with brands incorporating head-to-toe looks in the shade across tailoring, eveningwear and outerwear, from Max Mara's layering look to Jil Sander’s knitted styles," says Tiffany Hsu, fashion buying director at Mytheresa. "I loved Jaquemus's power suit, which is a great workwear option worn with heels and one of his statement mini-bags. This color is the ideal alternative for minimalists—an alternative to classic black and beige hues, it lifts an outfit without being overly colorful."
Not only have the buyers found plenty of love for it, but the numbers don't lie: Designers wholeheartedly embraced the shade, with Edited's data showing that Pantone shade 11-0618 were particularly popular. It's technically called "wax yellow" and Edited explained it as a toned-down soft banana shade that has "adopted a more mature aesthetic." I don't know about you, but I'm suddenly hungry.
Related:
Pictured clockwise from top left: Rejina Pyo; Versace; Rachel Comey; Nina Ricci
The opposite to butter yellow, yet just as popular, neon segues from summer 2019 well into autumn and winter, coming up in surprising combinations: Who knew flouro green could work so well with brown? Or that highlighter yellow was friends with dark denim? Either way, you've had more than ample time in 2019 already to get used to the idea, so don't go packing away your summer brights when the colder weather comes.
Pictured clockwise from top left: Sies Marjan; Dries Van Noten; Comme des Garçons; Christian Wijnants
Purple isn't for everyone, but it certainly made a bold splash across the runways of A/W 19. Major names stood behind the regal hue, including Dries Van Noten and Comme des Garçons. Many of the purple-centric outfits you'll come across featuring a spectrum head from to toe, with different shades thrown in for good measure—but IRL, we predict this shade will become more of an accent to darker winter wardrobes, so feel free to translate this into your own closet alongside black, white, navy and brown.
THE A/W 19 KEY CLOTHING ITEMS:
Pictured clockwise from top left: J.W. Anderson; Jacquemus; Balenciaga; Max Mara
"A/W is always a moment for incredible outerwear, and this season it was no exception. For the most part, it was the bigger the better; oversized shapes, duvet dressing, blanket capes and more," says Elizabeth von der Goltz, Net-a-Porter global buying director. "Oversized cannot be mentioned without talking to the trench coat and the bigger the better with billowing sleeves at JW Anderson, cape draping at Burberry and classic maxi coats at Khaite. Big coats marked the opening of the Max Mara runway in blue, yellow and teal. Hot pink was the favourite at Jacquemus and Valentino, whose oversized silhouettes gave this typically feminine colour a masculine twist. And last but not least is the puffa jacket, which received an elegant update with a new reference to duvet dressing. Padding, quilting, floral embroidery and organza layering came from the likes of Margiela, Dries Van Noten and Toteme."
So there you have it: Go big and stay warm or go home.
Pictured clockwise from top left: Paco Rabanne; Prada; Richard Quinn; Marques' Almeida
"Floral dresses are a wardrobe staple no matter the season, and for autumn, they were back and bigger than ever, referencing the '40s and an homage to swing dancing in particular, with midi lengths as the key shape from the likes of Dries Van Noten, Miu Miu and Erdem," says Hsu. "Alessandra Rich remains a key favourite when it comes to her feminine and wearable floral dresses, which offer the perfect desk to dinner outfit worn with heeled boots. Satin was also key fabric this season, with a mix of high-neck and V-neck iterations."
Edited's data plays into the trend too. The analysts saw a rise in ultra-feminine themes with floral patterns being particularly key. Out of the total floral-print offering, 40% of the items were dresses in both the UK and the U.S. Some of our personal favourites? Paco Rabanne (especially when paired with a cute cardigan), Prada (so many different, weird and wonderful takes on a very classic idea) and Richard Quinn (literally every editor cried at his show because the jaw-dropping dresses combined with live music from Freya Ridings was just too much beauty to handle).
Pictured clockwise from top left: Emilia Wickstead; Christopher Kane; Etro; Givenchy
There's a puff-sleeve personality for everyone, according to the runways. Maybe you'll like yours neat and rounded out at the shoulder for autumn (see Givenchy), or maybe you'll want something decadent and entirely inappropriate for anything that involves dipping sauces (see Emilia Wickstead's gigantic-sleeved floral dresses). Whatever route you choose to go down there is a huge amount on offer from edgy to prim.
"Last year was all about the midi dress, but for A/W 19, it's all about the minidress," says Laura Larbalestier, Group Fashion Buying Director at Harvey Nichols. "We have exciting new launches at Harvey Nichols from Retrofete, Rotate and Giuseppe di Morabito, which all involve impactful looks with mini hemlines." Newbie labels are clearly backing shorter hemlines, but the trend also has the strong support coming in from the industry's sassiest established fashion houses, such as Saint Laurent: Anthony Vaccarello's vision for the French brand was nothing if not a total lesson in getting your legs out.
THE A/W 19 ACCESSORIES:
Pictured clockwise from top left: Dior; J.W. Anderson; Giambattista Valli; Mugler
Sometimes it's the smallest details that can make the biggest impact or offer the most noticeable update to your existing wardrobe. For autumn 2019, it would appear that a choker necklace is one such addition. Whether large or dainty, pretty or punchy, almost no catwalk was complete without these flattering necklaces adoring the models. You could invest in something fancy, but it's easy to tap into the trend at a minimal cost—simply tie a grosgrain ribbon around your neck and go.
Pictured clockwise from top left: Paco Rabanne; Marine Serre; Tory Burch; Zimmermann
Marine Serre's printed tights have already been a huge smash with retailers and fashion girls over the past year, and we've also witnessed hosiery from Fendi, Balenciaga and other trend-setting luxury brands proving to be a great entry-level purchase for those looking to update their vibe without buying an entirely new outfit. The trend for tights (whether simple black opaques or something more adventurous) is poised to grow even stronger if the A/W 19 shows and my gut feeling are to be trusted. From crystal-dotted party tights to matching your floral dress to your floral hosiery, many brands felt this was the right final flourish to make a get-up catwalk-ready.
Pictured clockwise from top left: Dries Van Noten; Stella McCartney; AlexaChung; Matty Bovan
Although the '70s aesthetic is visible in some corners of planet fashion for autumn 2019, in general, the look hasn't taken hold in quite the same way it has in previous years. However, the item that really has infiltrated from this epoch is platform shoes. Whether in rubbed-soled pull-on boot form at Stella McCartney or in curvaceous lizard print at Alexa Chung, this is a good time for super-high-heel lovers. They can be worn with anything and everything, and they shouldn't be saved for retro looks only—try a pair with your favourite straight-leg jeans and see what we mean.
Pictured clockwise from top left: Valentino; Givenchy; Shrimps; Rejina Pyo
Top-handled and either cutesy and retro or super-sleek in plain leathers, the most influential bag trend of the season will most definitely be anything that feels extra-ladylike and old-fashioned. Although jumbo totes and teeny-tiny mini bags could also be seen on the autumn runways, neither is particularly practical, unlike these this breed of elegant styles. "I find when something is vintage that piece has a much longer staying power since the style feels inherently classic, like the frame bag," says Lisa Aiken, Fashion Director at Moda Operandi. Roomy enough to fit your essentials into, classic enough to last an eternity and offered in enough variations to girls with multiple style personalities sated indeed.
Pictured clockwise from top left: Proenza Schouler; Bottega Veneta; Marni; Haider Ackermann
"The footwear update this season is the square toe; from By Far to Gianvito Rossi’s two-tone boot to neutral hues at Neous and Bottega Veneta's mule," says von der Goltz. "Wandler’s new footwear line has landed already, with the square toe a key signature detail across all styles." Add that to the fact that everyone's already wearing the trend at Paris Fashion Week and you've got yourself a very big trend in the making.
So there you have it! All of the most important autumn trends for 2019. Let us know what you'll
