In case you missed the memo, the Spring/Summer iteration of New York Fashion Week is officially over, meaning we’ll only have a (New York) minute to look back at all the shows and trends before the choas of London Fashion Week begins.
During the week-long affair, over 80 emerging and established designers gathered across Manhattan and Brooklyn to unveil their latest women’s ready-to-wear collection that will guarantee a hot girl spring (slash summer) ahead.
Both the beginning and end of NYFW were flanked with masterful presentation from the patriarch of womenswear from each side of the pond: Kim Jones and Marc Jacobs for Fendi’s catwalk coup in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the baguette bag, and Tom Ford for his fierce eponymous label.
While here in Australia, nearly 17,000 kilometres away from America’s epicentre of craft and culture, we may be looking forward to those balmy summer days ahead, but it’s clear that on the runways of New York they’re taking a page out of Kylie Minogue’s book and stepping back in time.
As it turns out, the top trend spotted on the runway this season isn’t something widely new or unexpected, rather innately familiar—it’s nostalgia.
While Y2K is still running rampart on the streets, on the runway designers are taking cues from 90s New York icons like Carole Basset Kennedy and 70s starlets like Betty Catroux.
Elsewhere, the late Princess Diana is proving to be on the mood-board of American designers, with her signature 80s double breasted blazers and fierce shoulder pads cropping up everywhere from Khaite to Peter Do.
Below, we round up the five trends spotted on the runways at New York Fashion Week that we’ll soon be seeing everywhere.
1. Princess-Core
For the girls who think that tiara’s are the perfect accessory to every outfit (read: Devon Lee Carlson, Lauren Conrad and Blair Waldorf), and and that the pink-hued ballet-core aesthetic was the best thing to come from the Fall/Winter fashion season, then you’ll be pleased to know that the designers at NYFW are ushering a new saccharine core: princess-core.
Rooted in the Y2K noughtie aesthetic, this style sartorially channels the mini-skirt wearing heiresses who are ultra feminine, purveyors of the bimbo-core look and wont settle for anything less than being treated like a princess by their romantic interests. Think: Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie in their Simple Life era.
Sandy Liang infused this style with gorpcore elements like utilitarian outerwear and metallic nightluxe approved two-pieces (paired with a trusty temporary rhinestone tattoo placed on model’s hip bones.)
Downtown, Maryam Nassir Zadeh showed a collection of early 2000’s inspired ensembles that are fit for the queen of the SoHo.
With soft pastel colour palette matched by an equally soft layering approach to styling, these balmy collections are just beckoning to be worn.
2. 90s Off Duty Supermodel
Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Kate Moss and Shalom Harlow returning to NYC together for the first time in two decades is a clear signal that the 90s off-duty supermodel aesthetic is in it’s early stages of blowing up.
Thankfully for us, our favourite NYFW designers have given this coveted silhouette a modern makeover with new season styles that will soon be taking over the streets.
Altuzzra’s perfectly preppy slouchy low-rise trousers, fresh take on denim, bold blazers and oversized accessories will soon be swooped up by the next generation of supers, including Lila Moss, Gracie Burns and Kaia Gerber.
Uptown darling, Tory Burch, took us straight back to the mid-90s with a collection focused on lightweight, versatile materials and the art of soft layering.
Sheer was the category, whether it be a sheer shirt paired with a skin-tight mini skirt and leggings underneath, or nearly naked slip over a textured maxi skirt was straight out of the Carrie Bradshaw handbook.
If we could turn back time, we’d be putting these looks on every pop star and supermodel from here to the Hudson.
3. 80s Corporate Chic
When Balenciaga sent his latex-covered models down the runway in 80s inspired corporate silhouettes that we saw on Joan Collins in the original run of Dynasty, we would’ve never expected this would be the new workwear uniform.
New York City favourite Khaite embraced this nouveau riche aesthetic with both hands with a revisited take on boardroom basics that include a high-shine satin double breasted blazer, anaconda print military jackets and asymmetrical, slouchy wool maxi dresses.
Emerging designer Luar, took this one step further with a strong-suited collection of beige and navy workwear ensembles featuring shoulder pads, drop shoulder blazers and eclectic, avant garde suits.
4. Birkin-core
If you think that Birkin-core refers to the laundered uniform of the Upper East Side style savants who covet Hermès and want to talk about the small feature of a Birkin that divides the Hermes collector community, you’d be sadly mistaken.
Instead, we’re referring to the personal style of the iconic French-English Birkin who lent her name to the lauded design. Pioneer of the wicker bag and crochet set, Jane Birkin walked so Camille Rowe and Charrière could run and now her inimitable wardrobe is back on the runways.
Proenza Schouler leant into her appeal with a series of macrame separates full of fringe that are just beckoning to be worn on a beach in Ibiza.
Elsewhere, Marni offered a more Y2K approach to her classic wardrobe, yet the Birkinisms still remained. Think: micro knitted shorts, a super tight tank and a free spirit.
5. Craft Kid
New York may have been known for its vibrant club kid scene in the late 80s and 90s, however thanks Gen-Z’s profound interest in craft-core, DIY and upcycling, it seems that the craft kid will be the ones spotted on the dance floor at the limelight.
Everywhere from Coach to Collina Strada, embroidered, appliquéd, knitted and woven elements were spied on the runway.
Whether it be the Coach’s craft oversized take on the preppy cable knit sweater to Collina Strada’s, former-fashion-school eclectic hand drawn designs, it’s clear that the hottest styles this season are those with a human touch.
This story originally appeared on ELLE Australia.
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