2023 fashion trends to follow this year
This is your fashion trend forecast: 2023 is all about denim, red details and a touch of Grunge.
1. Quiet luxury for everyday dressing
This year's ultimate luxury is about a simple/not-so-simple balance and is perhaps best embodied by Kate Moss's appearance at the Bottega Veneta SS22 show.
The 00s iconic model wore a seemingly simple pair of jeans (or rather an illusion; they were, in fact, made of leather) with a flannel shirt (which took 12 layers of prints to achieve the perfect result). This transformation of a look 'traditionally “banal” into its most luxurious version using fabric and proportion,’ says Megan Reynolds, fashion and marketing director at MatchesFashion, was one of the most talked-about fashion statements of the year.
But how to convey this elegant simplicity in an everyday wardrobe? Try investing in elevated basics, trusted pieces that will be re-used in years to come, and make sure they are in shades of beige and navy.
Don't underestimate accessories. ‘The mood can also be translated into non-apparel, including wrist-length gloves, ruched socks with simple plimsolls and Loewe’s pared-back logo tote,’ says Libby Page, style expert at Net-a-Porter.
Photo courtesy of Bottega Veneta
2. Minimalist maxi
Minimalism has been reigning supreme for the past 10 years, perhaps boring us a little bit.
This year, the trend is getting a maxi twist that adds a bit of zing to the mix. Clothes stay wearable and comfortable with a touch of outré. Think clean-cut tailoring with a subtle oversized element and overlong A-line skirts.
Photos: Sacai - Daniele Oberrauch/gorunway.com,, Tibi - Daniele Oberrauch/gorunway.com,, Max Mara- Filippo Fior/gorunway.com, Loewe - Daniele Oberrauch/gorunway.com
3. Vintage, thrift and DIY? Time to get personal
Customising, upcycling and reconstructing garments is one of Gen Z's top priorities this year. The trend is already massive in Japan and Korea and according to Instagram's 2023 report: ‘Gen Z creatives plan to take fashion into their own hands to bring a sustainable alternative to their love for fast fashion'.
Meanwhile, vintage pieces are to become a key element of our everyday wardrobe. While last year we focused on sourcing one-of-a-kind occasionwear – with a growing number of fashion houses now opening up their archives, and celebrities showing off their vintage pieces on the red carpet – this year is about incorporating the old into the new to create our own style.
Depop is your go-to platform, but to source one-of-a-kind pieces, you may want to try Vestiaire Collective, Sign of the Times, or Instagram accounts of the likes of @retold_vintage @oldcelinemarket.
Photo: Pierre Suu
4. Grunge à la Vivienne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood's fabulous looks reappeared on our timeline this Christmas and felt very much in tune with our current renegade mood.
The British designer belonged to a generation that broke free of sacred societal codes to reclaim and revisit established styles and symbols.
Coincidentally, this re-appropriation was observed in the SS22 collections: from Burberry's checked dresses to Gucci's distressed denim and Molly Goddard's tulles.
You can call the trend 'grunge' if you are a Gen X or 'indie sleaze' if you are a Gen Z; it is in fact about adding a bit of a rebellious edge to an otherwise elevated wardrobe.
Photos: Simone Rocha Filippo Fior/gorunway.com, Chopova Lowena, Filippo Fior/gorunway.com, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood - Sabina Shreder,
5. Pockets, pockets, pockets…
It seems that we are heading into pragmatic times. If you have to buy one fashion item this year, it should be a pair of cargo trousers with a lot of pockets!
The relaxed utilitarian-inspired silhouette can be seen everywhere this season; we love Miu Miu's multi-pocketed jacket and Sacai's cargo skirt.
Could the trend reveal a desire to keep our belongings with us at all times? Or an acknowledgement of the war we've been witnessing in the past year?
Photos: Givenchy - Alessandro Visero/gorunway.com, Fendi - Salvatore Dragone/gorunway.com, Miu Miu - Filippo Fior/gorunway.com, Sacai - Daniele Oberrauch/gorunway.com
6. Mega-denim
This season is not so much about whether you will be wearing denim, but more about how you will be wearing denim.
According to fashion cognoscenti, this year's denim must be worn loose and relaxed (Chloé), plain straight (Bottega Veneta), distressed (Tom Ford), or low rise (Givenchy).
And you don’t have to stick to the sartorial pair of jeans – 2023 denim is also about floor-skimming skirts (Burberry) dresses and maxi jackets.
Photos: Altuzzara Filipo Fior gorunway.com, Tibi, Daniele Oberrauch/gorunway.com, Burberry
7. Barre core
We mentioned that 2022 saw a renewed love for ballet flats. Their polished styles seem to complement our hybrid lifestyle.
The trend has been divisive in the past but is getting the full seal of approval from fashion designers and street wearers alike.
Note that their overly feminine aesthetic is tempered with sportswear accessories – Thom Browne styled them with mega socks – or a rusty finish à la Simone Rocha.
The motto? You can elevate your denim routine with a pair of satin ballets – just make sure the weather won't ruin them.
Photos: Thom Browne - Filippo Fior/gorunway.com, MM6 Maison Margiela - Isidore Montag/gorunway.com
8. Sheer but subtle
Remember Nensi Dojaka's sheer nightdress sensation last year? It got people talking, with 'sheer top' becoming one of the most searched terms during fashion weeks.
2023 sees the trend evolving. The nude aesthetic is much more subtle this year. Never too revealing, it is more about refinement, nuance and layering than overly sexual appeal.
The purity of Prada's skirts and rollnecks was such that the garnments became almost transparent while Acne's ethereal dresses were layered above a black pair of denim.
Photos: Prada - Filippo Fior/gorunway.com, Chanel - Isidore Montag/gorunway.com, Tibi - Daniele Oberrauch/gorunway.com, Bally - Daniele Oberrauch/gorunway.com
9. Jumbo totes
Goodbye, microbags, goodbye, heavy logos… welcome the logoless, low-key, elegant jumbo tote!
Last year, fashion cognoscenti were quick to nab Khaite's lotus bag. This year the trend seems to gain momentum with the likes of Bottega Veneta, Chloé, Jil Sanders and Loewe.
The motto? We need to carry our lives with us and we don't want to do it in an ostentatious way, in line with our changing times.
Photo: Givenchy - Alessandro Visero/gorunway.com
Altuzzara - Filipo Fior/gorunway.com
10/ A touch of red
While pink reigned supreme in 2022, red is making a comeback this year, albeit in a bold but subtle way.
2023 red brings contrast and texture to the muteness of the aforementioned quiet luxury trend.
We love how Molly Godard's cowboy boots stand out, worn with a cream maxi skirt and tee. Meanwhile, Ferragamo and Tibi's alluring stockings/shoe red combo has already started getting traction with fashion empresses of the likes of @leandramcohen.
Time to add a bit of rouge to your wardrobe!
Photos: The Row, Tibi - Daniele Oberrauch/gorunway.com, Molly Godard - Daniele Oberrauch/gorunway.com, Prada - Fillipo Fior/gorunway.com