Suit Spectrum
Scores of suits walked down the AW19 runways in a spectrum of cuts and colours, proving this season’s leading silhouette as the motherboard of all trends. For new wave tailoring, there were the big bossy shoulders at Saint Laurent and Givenchy; the neat menswear reworks at McQueen and Balenciaga; and the slouchy, layered panels of Proenza Schouler and Jacquemus. Colour palettes, too, categorised into three genres: all-black ensembles that emphasise sharp, angular cuts; austere neutral prints that revived bourgeois themes; and high saturation hues that affirm this season’s boldest take on statement dressing.
Feather Overload
Feathers gave an operatic extravagance to the Aw19 runways with flamboyant volume and texture. Marc Jacobs, Valentino and Oscar de la Renta closed their shows with majestic evening gowns in graceful neutrals, while Saint Laurent, Mary Katrantzou, and Prabal Gurung peacocked with rainbow palettes and glow-in-the-dark effects. As for how many feathers is the right amount? We saw everything from full plume outerwear at Erdem and Rochas to the delicate quill trims finishing Dion Lee’s ribbed corsets and Anna Sui’s brocade frocks.
Dark Romance
Dark Romance was the dominant theme of the AW19 narrative, for which designers gave motifs of unqualified femininity a sinister twist. Roses, lace and fuschia pink were tainted with gothic undertones at McQueen, Erdem and Christopher Kane, while bondage-like leather and profuse panels of black added to the subversion at Richard Quinn and Simone Rocha. At Prada, we saw Wednesday Addams and Frankenstein appear alongside wilted silk roses, whereas Valentino’s ode to the lovelorn took the form of graphic prints depicting flowers and reunited stone lovers.
Leather Pants
This season’s focus on leather has expanded from accessories to ready-to-wear clothing, stepping up in the form of leather trousers. Leading the mission is Bottega Veneta, whose biker-inspired Moto pants asserted a new era of cool dressing, for which houses like Alberta Ferretti, Isabel Marant, and Altuzarra followed form with baggy, high-waisted cuts. Elsewhere, on the runways of Hermes and Salvatore Ferragamo, slim-cut leather pants reigned supreme, offering a glossy new finish to traditional suiting, with room for colour and layering.
Disco Fever
Sequins, glitter and jewels galore, disco dressing is this season’s most spirited trend for the maximalists at heart. Look to Celine and Chanel for sparkling sweaters and suiting alternatives, or go for full partywear with the dazzling floor-length dresses at McQueen and Paco Rabanne. To differentiate this season’s take on glitz from standard New Year’s Eve dressing, opt for looser fits or boyish cuts (Bottega Veneta, Louis Vuitton), crystal fringes draped across the shoulders (Prabal Gurung, Molly Goddard), or embellished knitwear and turtleneck collars to contrast the glamour with some stylish modesty.
Editor
Joanna Fu
