The Things We Learned At The AW20 Men’s And Women’s Shows

From a fondness for fringing to the return of black and the enduring appeal of the Seventies as a source of inspiration, here are the ten most important things you need to know about the autumn/winter 2020 men’s and women’s shows…

That Seventies Show

The boho trend continues for autumn/winter 2020 – for both men and women. Hedi Slimane doubled down on the ’70s-era codes he’s been favouring since his arrival at Celine two years ago, while warm Formica palettes of brown, yellow, orange and taupe played on the decade’s interior trends.

Nerds Are The New Style Icons

A bookish aesthetic reigned on the runways, as nerdy girls evinced a daring dorkiness, with high necklines, layered cardigans, midi-length skirts and plenty of plaid coming together to make geek chic. Think scholarly tweeds and prim blouses with grannyish details and you’ve got it.

Raf Simons Is Joining Prada

On February 23rd, Prada announced that Raf Simons, the cerebral Belgian designer who has helmed both Christian Dior and Calvin Klein in his career, will join the company as co-creative director alongside Miuccia Prada, granddaughter of the company’s founder. The duo will unveil their first joint collection in September, when we hope to see his brand of minimalism merge with Mrs Prada’s subersive vision.

Black Is Back

No, we’re not stating the obvious – black is back. For seasons, designers, while never entirely doing away with the classic shade, have favoured greys and navy. For autumn/winter 2020, we lost count of the number of designers who opened their shows with a head-to-toe black look. At both Valentino and Christian Dior, the proceedings opened with a series of black looks, while Demna Gvasalia at Balengiaga took the ecclesiastical wear of the Orthodox church as his inspiration.

Men, You Need Leather Trousers

Whether roomy or skin-tight, designers including Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Salvatore Ferragamo, Dolce & Gabbana and Berluti all showed leather trousers. Wear yours with a chunky cardigan (see below) or coordinating leather coat.

Fringing Is The New Feathers

Whether flapperish-fine, or exagerated in proportion, fringing is trending for next season – on everything from dresses to skirts and coats.

Head-To-Toe Red

Gents, time to up your game. It’s go-bold-or-go-home time, with all-red ensembles making an impact at Gucci, Armani, Berlutti, Tom Ford and more. Whether business or pleasure, this is how you make an entrance.

Cardi-Coats

The trend for oversized cardigans worn as coats stepped up in Milan, where they were seen at Gucci, Ferragamo, Missoni and Hermès. Wear yours with softest denim or cocooned over knits.

Blueness

Pantone’s colour of the year, Classic Blue (which is a kind-of Air Force blue), ushered in a whole realm of blue tones: from periwinkle to indigo and royal blue. Slip on an ultramarine dress for your next big event, or wear it tone-on-tone for work.

Tailoring’s Coming Up Trumps

While streetwear continued to be prevalent on the catwalks, designers showed a return to the classic lines of gentlemanly tailoring. Even Virgil Abloh at Louis Vuitton, whose Off White brand is built on a sturdy foundation of street staples, sent out a sizable number of suits. We especially loved the surrealist spin seen in the Magritte-esque cloud-print suiting.