Coined by trend forecaster WGSN, “chaotic customisation” is everything that “quiet luxury” is not: it’s excess, it’s maximalism, it’s no-holds-barred personality. It’s Jane Birkin clutching a tote bag dripping in eclectic tchotchkes and TikToker’s threading their Adidas Sambas with personalised laces; it’s the late style icon Iris Apfel’s idiosyncratic outfit pairings and it’s the messy moodboard pinned to the bedroom wall of a 13 year-old fashion obsessive.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that chaotic customisation was just another addition to the TikTok “core” conveyor belt – the cymbal-crash crescendo to end a 12-month period that saw everyone from mob wives to coastal grandmas sacrificed at the altar of the internet – but what sets it apart is that, rather than being grounded in a set of dictated visual cues, chaotic customisation seems to pivot on a broader, less definable mood. “Unlike traditional fashion trends that revolve around specific aesthetics, chaotic customisation is about process – adding charms, patches and interchangeable pieces in a fashion free-for-all,” says journalist Amy Francombe in an article for Vogue Business. “It’s a maximalist, DIY-infused attitude that captures a cultural shift towards ‘more is more’ in personal style.”

In fact, maybe as fashion editors we should avoid being too explicit in describing fashion’s new state of mind, as by setting parameters we are negating any sense of spontaneity or individuality that is innate to the movement. Ultimately, chaotic customisation is about returning to more of an analogue approach to style that isn’t shaped by algorithms or #spon outfit posts, rather led by an intrinsic sense of self-expression that personal style can provide – and which, of course, can just as easily manifest in pared-back minimalist separates as it can eye-popping, Apfel-inspired prints.

One way to embody this mood is to “shop” from your own wardrobe – dig out and layer up old favourites to create new pairings and learn how to use a sewing machine to tweak a hemline or cinch-in a dress. Another way to bring a little more “chaos” into your 2025 wardrobe is to shop emerging brands – check out independent boutiques and marketplaces to discover one-of-a-kind pieces – alongside labels that specialise in upcycling (think Conner Ives and Rave Review) and, of course, vintage fashion, aka the easiest way to eschew the allure of cookie-cutter styling.

Luckily, right now we are not short of brilliant brands that fall into these categories, so to kickstart your new year wardrobe, we’ve come up with a list of brands that are packed with personality. From Rave Review’s patchwork blanket coats to Conner Ives’s sporty upcycled pieces, scroll down to see and shop our lineup.

Conner Ives

Marine Serre

Rave Review