Top Spring/Summer 2023 fashion trends to wear now

1. Violet streak

Alexander McQueen

1/17

Having first made its mark on everything from iPhones to high-end watches last year, purple continues to make its presence felt this season. With a spectrum of associations ranging from royalty to arrogance, the powerful hue can be found in a plethora of shades across several Spring/Summer collections.

Valentino

2/17

At Louis Vuitton’s runway show held in Paris last June, a dusty lilac softened casual, workwear-influenced ensembles, while jacquard coats bloomed dramatically with thistles in vibrant purple.

Giorgio Armani

3/17

In a sharp collection dominated by black and white, Alexander McQueen creative director Sarah Burton used dashes of powdery mauve and blue to create monochromatic tailoring that stood out with an elegant whisper. At women’s collections, vibrant, love-it-or-hate-it violet was used to create looks as bold as they were elegant: These included the elaborately embellished frocks at Giorgio Armani as well as a sparkly pleated skirt at Valentino.

2. Forging ties

Dolce & Gabbana

4/17

Now that neckties — and indeed, the formal suit — are no longer the mandatory male office accessories they once were, they are making a comeback as playful accoutrements that can be worn simply because you want to.

Kenzo

6/17

Our favourite takes on the neckwear were shown at Kenzo’s co-ed collection. Creative director and streetwear icon Nigo was inspired by what is known as the DC Brand Boom of 1980s Japan, where the country’s fashion scene was populated by “pop-driven” labels with a penchant for “cartoonish animal motifs” as well as the now- legendary Japanese designers presenting in Paris (think Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto and of course, Kenzo Takada).

Kenzo

7/17

Melding playful graphics and the rigour of tailoring, Kenzo’s ties served as perfectly positioned finishing touches to printed tableaus featuring an elephant and florals.

3. Kids' stuff

Moschino

8/17

Grown-up woes got you down? Channel your inner child with the help of some of fashion’s boldest creatives. Known for his zany sense of humour, Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott sought to convey the feeling of buoyancy into his spring women’s collection — literally.

Kenzo

9/17

Aside from adding inflatable lapels to jackets and flotation devices to cocktail dresses, he also used colourful pool floats to complement a draped dress printed all over with cartoon animals.

Louis Vuitton

10/17

At Louis Vuitton’s men’s show, the design team paid tribute to the power of imagination and the different ways in which we realise our ideas as we move from childhood to adulthood. As part of the theme of childhood, models wore folded “paper” hats that were made from leather and a formal coat was decked out with leather “paper” planes.

4. Relaxed tailoring

Dior

11/17

There’s no doubt about it: The suit isn’t dead. In fact, we love how designers are remaking formal tailoring for a post-pandemic world with increasingly casual dress codes. Cut for ease and paired with unexpected colours and details, the modern matching jacket-and-bottom ensemble is desirable not just for work, but also play.

Zegna

12/17

At Zegna’s Spring/Summer 2023 show, which was held at the brand’s wool mill outside Milan, creative director Alessandro Sartori continued his exploration of what men need today and how tailoring can evolve.

Hermes

13/17

The covetable results included relaxed suits in soft terry that look like they would be comfy enough to sleep in, and chilled-out blazers sans collar and lapels.

Giorgio Armani

14/17

Fellow Italian powerhouse Giorgio Armani, on the other hand, once again demonstrated his label’s timeless appeal with elegant, flowy tailoring that embodied effortless glamour.

5. Denim on denim

Prada

15/17

For a moment, it looked like the pandemic had sounded the death knell for denim, with working-from-home arrangements leading to swathes of consumers swapping their jeans for sweatpants and shorts. Not so fast. Designers are not just trotting out denim this season — they’re doubling up on it.

Givenchy

16/17

Looks inspired by the Canadian tuxedo, or denim worn on top and bottom, were seen at the shows of brands such as Fendi, Givenchy and Prada.

Alexander McQueen

17/17

The men’s options were somewhat more familiar — often long- sleeved shirts paired with jeans in straight or stovepipe cuts — while the women’s offerings had a more maximalist bent, with billowy jeans that swished down the runways.