SS27 womenswear trends: the key looks from New York, London, Milan and Paris fashion weeks

Paris - The new season's fashion whirlwind, which passed through New York, Milan, Paris and, to a lesser extent, London, has concluded. It established several distinct trends in womenswear for the upcoming warmer seasons.

Modular fashion

Instead of complete, and inherently more expensive, 'total looks', designers this season have overwhelmingly focused on breaking down outfits into individual separates.

“The emergence of separates has become a key theme this season. We have taken our iconic silhouettes, dresses, and necklines and reinvented them as tops and bottoms,” explains designer Daniel Roseberry at Schiaparelli.

“Styling and mix-and-match are becoming almost as important as the product itself. It is a fashion that encourages self-creation rather than adopting a uniform. These are sophisticated clothes worn instinctively,” analyses Victoria Dartigues, director of the womenswear and leather goods buying department at Galeries Lafayette in Paris.

“We are moving away from the idea of a total look or a single trend, towards a wardrobe that seems built over time, where each piece adds a touch of soul,” she continues, citing Celine or The Row by the Olsen sisters.

Skirt as the season's key piece

The skirt dominated the runways, “with a great deal of fluidity and movement, presented in various shapes and lengths,” according to Elodie Abrial, commercial director of the Le Bon Marché group.

At Chanel, it repeatedly appeared just below the knee. This length is known as “the Chanel length” and was considered the most flattering by Gabrielle Chanel.

In Milan, Prada obsessively focused on “this unique and universal garment,” the house explained.

“The skirt is a contemporary object; it is flexible and adaptable. It invites contradiction,” commented Miuccia Prada in a statement after the show.

“Each skirt can also be completely reinvented by the person who wears it, through its combinations and juxtapositions with other pieces. They can transform its meaning,” the designer emphasised.

Exposed bra

Lingerie featured heavily, particularly bralettes worn alone or under a jacket. The bra has made a comeback as a simple top. It appeared on the runways with lace paired with fur at Dolce & Gabbana, and also in street style, combining comfortable urban wear with more elegant pieces.

In London, the label Dreaming Eli built its show around nostalgic lingerie, “highlighting slightly old-fashioned fabrics like lace and satin,” summarises journalist Pascal K. Douglas, a contributor to major European fashion magazines.

At Fendi, Maria Grazia Chiuri let the bra—a black-embroidered satin triangle—set the sensual tone for most of her silhouettes.

ASMR palette

A soft colour palette is emerging with “colours that soothe and lower cortisol levels: butter, lavender, sage,” analyses Pascal K. Douglas.

“These nature-related colours are good for the body, as seen at Dries Van Noten, Ester Manas, and Gundi Studios. This calls for calm and peace in reaction to the current socio-political climate,” he continues.

Soft tones were also seen at Victoria Beckham and Icicle in Paris, and at Ashley Williams in London. These included shoulder-padded shirts in shades ranging from light blue to yellow and baby pink.

At Diesel, this softened palette was coordinated, pairing a mint-green skirt with a bubblegum-pink jacket. At Bottega Veneta, it appeared as comfortable, light-yellow pleated trousers with a bright pink jabot blouse.

Puffed up

First imagined by Christian Lacroix in the mid-1980s, the “pouf” skirt—a voluminous piece with a puffed or bubble effect—is making a triumphant return.

Loewe and Dior made it a key silhouette, while Miu Miu and Zimmermann offered it in a very short version.

Comme des Garçons made it its centrepiece. It appeared in denim as a voluminous sculpture, even drawing inspiration from the image of a court jester.

This trend, however, could quickly deflate. The pieces are more for image than for the wardrobe, as they are almost impossible to wear when seated.