SPRING / SUMMER 2024 TRENDS
GLITTER CODED
Muted tones are put to rest in a season that has put the desire to push boundaries on a pedestal. Glitter has introduced itself as a trailblazing signifier of a transformative era that’s clenching celebratory codes in an era of budgeted creativity. What’s most interesting about this trend is its persistence. Nearly all big name designers integrated the use of glitter embellishment into their season, from subtle use in classic denim and signature shapes to overtly decorated bags and t-shirts. LOEWE was a notable showstopper that individualized this innovation and made glitter an A-list celebrity staple.
SENSITIVE SIDE
The guiding theme of SS24 has evolved past tentative trials of vulnerability into a circular romance grounded in fluidity and the sensitivity it bears. A runway possessing 30% women in a male-dominated space visibly displays the unspoken mediator that’s reviving fashion: a lack of gender restraint. The harmony between male and female facing aesthetics props an antagonistic discourse against a macroeconomic flux, welcoming a gentle, serene lightness to menswear that it has historically lacked. Monochromatic satin and overflowing shapes melted on the runway, with the new key shape, the midi dress, appearing for the first time cross-designer in key colors Pearl and Blush Pink. In a market largely overrun by a fascination with sheer, a propensity to “see-through” and bare it all has become definitive of the current zeitgeist. Look to Dolce & Gabbana, Saint Laurent and Ludovic Saint Sermin for what is positioned to be the future of renewed masculinity.
UPSCALE COLLEGIATE
Prep’s gradual inclination towards opulence has fully emancipated itself in a tender, unadulterated celebration that takes the best of womenswear and weaves its codes into its own practiced, masculine rules. Sophisticated key shapes such as the blazer, bomber jacket, and polo shirt adopt small, soft embellishments. Ballerina shoes, fisherman sandals, and a novel high waist alongside a tiny short argue a discourse for delicate academia. Tweed, ties, and a resurgence of stripes dominating the runway uphold the history of prep in contemporary fashion. Look to key colors Elemental Blue and Nutshell across Dior, Prada, and Amiri for today’s new lessons.
PLANET B
Escapism remains a central theme that’s compressing otherworldliness into clever shapes that are fit for survival. Militaristic undertones, such as the bomber jacket, paired with landscape prints and chubby sneakers, make the abnormal an amusing space for fashion to feel like it's traversing past modern themes into a discourse forward enough that we can beg the conversation to consider Planet B. Key color Cyber Lime is seen across ERL, Givenchy, and Charles Jeffrey Loverboy in outfits that are ready for the near future—an impending doom.
YOUTH RAVE
The transformative energy of the 90s grunge music scene has bled into the hedonistic draw towards self-determination and the power of a collective experience that the runway has been begging to display. Dynamic visuals of print, texture, and messy decadence create a landscape film of unapologetic youth in a way to keep audiences creatively authentic. Acne Studios’ texture, DSquared2’s flippant attitude, and Martine Rose’s effortless cool are textbook new age rave, while key colors Radiant Red and Mandarin Orange tie together loose ends in a conversation that champions freedom of thought.
GORPCORE ALL GROWN UP
The almost palpable influence of quiet luxury and its trendy marketing schemes has redefined itself in SS24 by melding itself with another modern season-defying contender: gorpcore. The maturation of utilitarian codes offers a refreshing three-dimensional take on tailoring that doesn’t feel tired and creates a casual space that’s suitable for the everyday lives of the masses. Here, formality is a function. Oversized pockets, easy enclosures, and zip-up vests are an ode to the artisanal worker. Prada, Hermes, and Givenchy harness this juxtaposition well: the aptitude to layer soft tailoring with rigid, functional shape.