While fashion month looked much different than past seasons, the virtual runway shows viewed from our laptop screens gave us a taste of the exciting trends on the horizon for fall 2021. With talks of a reopening world, optimism was woven into the collections, and we were gifted with a long list of sartorial treats to wear in it. From high-impact shades to luxe takes on comfortable clothes, designers gave us plenty to look forward to as we think ahead to the upcoming season.
After careful examination of all the fall/winter collections, we’ve come to the conclusion that the below 10 trends will be the most popular, period. Featuring the knitwear trend you’re about to see everywhere, the It boots of the season, and much more, the trends ahead are the ones we are most excited about, and we have a feeling you will be, too. Even though fall is quite a ways away, the lust-worthy shopping assortment will have you wishing for cooler days ahead.
If there was ever a time for a dose of fun, it’s 2021. Neutrals have dominated fashion for the past few seasons, but as optimism is mounting for a reopening world, we’re also seeing that reflected in the fashion on the runways. For fall, expect to see lots of vibrant colors. Rather than a standout hue, we’re seeing saturated shades in a rainbow of colors—from electric yellow at Versace to cobalt blue at Prada to hot pink at Thebe Magugu. Wear one color from head to toe for maximum impact.
This season, designers seemed to collectively agree that it was time to rebrand the logomania craze we once knew. Instead of plastering designer names loudly on garments and accessories of all kinds, this time, they took a more subtle approach. Now, the logo look everyone will be wearing is almost camouflaged into what looks like a print, but true fashion fanatics will be able to spot the logos of their favorite brands without looking twice. We have a feeling it will become one of those “tell me you’re a fashion girl without telling me you’re a fashion girl” trends of 2021.
It wouldn’t be a fall/winter trend guide without an entire category dedicated to knitwear, and this season, it’s all about cable-knit. Cable-knit sweaters are pretty much a seasonal staple at this point, but this fall, we spotted full cable-knit looks ultimately standing out as the knitwear look of the season. From dresses to matching sets, if you’re covered in cables, you’re doing something right. If you’re in need of some styling inspiration, look to Altuzarra and Gabriela Hearst, as they really hit the nail on the head when it comes to this bundled-up trend.
This season, styling your tailored pieces could not be any easier. The Row, Petar Petrov, and Max Mara are just a few of the designers leading the pack in this tonal-tailoring moment, as they paired pristine suiting separates of the same color together to create very elevated yet forward layered looks. Start with a menswear-inspired coat you love and layer blazers, blouses, and skirts aplenty in the same hue underneath. Do this and you’ll be on-trend in no time.
The Gen Z set is reviving looks from the early 2000s, so you may have a bit of fashion déjà vu right now. Designers clearly have it as well because the aughts fashion that has been everywhere on TikTok has also made a resurgence on the runways for fall 2021. Thanks to designers including Blumarine, Kim Shui, and Anna Sui, throwback pieces like low-slung jeans, midriff-baring tops, and furry collars have made a return. This time around, though, Gen Z’s interpretation of the trends is taking center stage.
With sweatpants and house shoes on heavy rotation, this last year has been all about comfort. Our wardrobes may be forever changed by all of the cozy clothes we’ve been wearing, but for fall, designers are proposing a luxe vision of comfort with directional takes on faux fur. You’ll find chunky coats and jackets in a range of colors—from tawny brown to arctic white—that you’ll want to sink into, but you’ll also find pieces like tube tops and heels that put a whole spin on how to wear furry clothing.
This season overall, more is more, and that goes for handbags as well. Mini bags that hold nothing but lip gloss are no longer the priority. Instead, practicality is key, and that means the bigger your bag the better. These larger-than-life totes were impossible to ignore, as they were spotted everywhere from Marni to Khaite, and we’re excited to see more iterations pop into the market once the fall season is in full swing. Whether you’re looking to invest in a classic shape or a more trendy piece, this trend is guaranteed to serve all of the above.
Get yourself a trend that can do both. This season’s biggest boot trend happens to incorporate a key styling trick as well. Sleek, not slouchy, knee-high boots were spotted everywhere from Thebe Magugu to Tom Ford and were mainly styled with an exposed leg. This means that your dresses and skirts will be in heavy rotation come fall thanks to this particular boot trend. Be it a bare leg or your stems covered in kitschy printed tights, the best way to show off these knee-high boots is via an exposed leg, and that’s that.
Miu Miu chose the snow-capped Dolomites as the location for its F/W 21 collection—a nod to the slope style we saw everywhere for fall and the ultimate backdrop for its skiwear-heavy collection that ranged from snoods to puffer suits to furry moon boots. Designers including Chanel, Etro, and Chloé also debuted the chicest snow-ready salopettes, ski goggles, and Fair Isle sweaters that are destined for some very stylish mountain slopes. It’s clear that designers are already planning their future ski holidays.
Sticking to the theme of comfortable yet directional clothing for fall 2021, cloud coats are the outerwear trend to know about for the upcoming season. These pieces are so puffy and cloudlike that you probably won’t want to take them off—and we wouldn’t blame you. Designers from Givenchy to Lemaire are on board, proving that this cousin to the puffer coat will be taking over in six months.
