1. Creative knitwear

We are playing with textures (Ports 1961), architectural shapes (Stella McCartney) and color palettes (Chloé, Altuzarra, Proenza Schouler). The simple jogging pants + sweaters, which were the usual designs made in knitted fabrics, are now replaced by true creativity and craftsmanship.
The Acne outfit is a good example of how to combine 3 different textures and fabric weights, while keeping the color palette peacefl and neutral. 

... but keeping comfort a priority. This can be done using a night gown (in thicker fabric and with a longer hemline than what you would wear at night), as Fendi and Dries van Noten did it. Or you can go for fabrics more often used in ready-to-wear, but then cut in a shape that gives you spaciousness throughout your day - from business meetings during the day, to evenings on the couch, without having to change. 

All the codes of a preppy look are here: tidy collar, pleated skirt, sleeveless sweater with a V-neck, plaid pattern, etc. But they are being bent, hijacked, distorted: Phillip Lim adds in giant bows. Dior chooses colors that feel slightly dizzy, Molly Goddard layers an acid green, see-through dress with ruffles under the classical pullunder. 

There's also an option for those who want to go back to clothes "with a shape" aka tailoring: a new level of monochromatic, extremely chic, and comfortable. The waist is only slightly marked, if at all. The length is often below the knee, or if the skirt is shorter, then it is paired with leggings (Chanel) or high boots (Jil Sander). If you have a capsule wardrobe with 1 dominant color, this is the opportunity to wear an entire outfit in that color, just playing with different textures and fabric weights, as shown here. Monochromatic doesn't mean "boring"!

I said that slim and skinny pants were starting to slowly disappear and now it is is confirmed. The typical straight leg isn't slimmer than this Nina Ricci design. Dressed-up trousers often come higher-waisted with a wider leg (Victoria Beckham). The most "baggy" version is the Chanel look, but overall denim jeans are going back to a straight leg and to being less bleached. Celine is a 7/8th length but overall the pants really are going full-length this season - so that they will actually keep up warm this winter!

This is the result of the designers of the French houses being in lockdown, in Paris, back in January. They wanted to get out and to go skiing in the Alps: they created the clothes needed to do just that. I called this trend Après-Ski: multiple layers of quilt and down jackets to keep you warm, but underneath, you’re wearing your party uniform (Marc Jacobs, Lemaire & Givenchy). At Balmain, it's the skirt that is quilted. At Chanel, the nuance is in the accessories. This is not a style that I would personally wear on the daily, but hey, I wouldn't mind some skiing this winter...

The platform shoes and neon colors on several board so far are not a coincidence, because there is one trend that has been growing for a year and a half: the Y2K revival (i.e. Year 2 K). Britney Spears, tattoo choker necklaces, neon beaded accessories… Tom Ford already made that look popular 20 years ago, so why not do it again? Saint Laurent caught the girls' band vibe too and even used several colors in one outfit - which is rare given their edgy, black-centered aesthetics. Versace took the mini-skirt out of their archive, Jacquemus did it baggy, Isabel Marant revived the ski jacket with the contrasting shoulders and the snap buttons.

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