Euphoria—the costumes, the cast, the makeup, the wild lifestyles—felt omnipresent throughout the shows. The throngs of young fans hoping to get a peek at Jacob Elordie or Sydney Sweeney walking into a fashion show seemed to be larger than ever. But there’s no denying the big, pink attention-seeking elephant in the room: TikTok and youth-driven pop culture are the dominant forces for autumn/winter’s look. The perception of TikTok is that it’s the place where “extra AF” has found its natural home and that no Y2K stone will be left unturned. To a point, that is true, but I would argue that the platform offers much more across personal styles, subcultures and age groups, and I think that it’s actually this diversity and freedom of taste that has led to designers tapping into even skimpier noughties looks and a veritable banquet of party looks for the best night ever and little offshoots such as the #gothaesthetic, too. “Expect the unexpected,” says fashion expert and Flannels head of womenswear elevation Emma Ilori. “Over-the-top, more-is-more, experimental wardrobes—pushing the boundaries of everyday dressing. We’re ready to be out and be seen. Think fresh-off-the-runway social media moments and head-turning full looks.” And things couldn’t be more committed to that idea than they are over at Valentino, where—during what could arguably be the show of the season—Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli crafted a custom hot-pink hue in collaboration with Pantone. Prepare to see Valentino Pink PP (or at least as close as any other brand can get) everywhere.
“The season’s overarching mood is one of fun and extravagance, and the A/W trends are set to be all about OTT fashion. Bags are getting bigger, colours are getting brighter, and everything seems to have been covered in shiny sequins,” says Morgane Le Caer, content lead at Lyst. And almost every single buyer I spoke to echoed the sentiment—investing heavily in clothes and accessories that spark joy in the most conspicuous of ways. “More is definitely still more, with party continuing to be the predominant trend for the upcoming season,” says Heather Gramston, head of womenswear buying at Browns. “As a company, we’ve invested in partywear across our ready-to-wear collections and non-apparel, and we anticipate the Browns customer will be wanting to dress up at every given opportunity.”
