The connection between fashion and technology is strengthening. In a webinar last week, trend forecasting firm Fashion Snoops and 3D digital fashion solutions provider Browzwear pooled their areas of expertise to bring to life the 10 emerging must-haves for Fall/Winter 22-23 women’s wear.
The garments are the focal point of the companies’ first collaboration, a set of 3D blocks to which designers can add their own personal touches. The new feature accelerates the design process and gives companies a head start in creating pieces projected to be a hit.
“We really feel like 3D is the future of how we’re going to concept [designs],” said Lilly Berelovich, Fashion Snoops owner.
The tools to design and develop collections are future facing, but several of the emerging trends are looking back to the early 2000s for inspiration.
“We are definitely feeling a resurgence of all things Y2K,” said Melissa Moylan, Fashion Snoops VP and creative director.
Low-rise jeans are part of this throwback trend, finished with of-the-era details like frayed hems, front slits, lace-up closures and different types of patchwork. “Something else to consider, in denim especially, is after a lot of seasons of high rises, we’re starting to see Gen Z shift more into this very extreme low-rise fit and paring it back to a crop top,” she said.
The Y2K trend is also ushering in the return of bodycon and mini dresses. As consumers step back into the social scene, they want to up the ante with short hemlines and strapless tube silhouettes, Moylan said. Expect to see the trend gain momentum around the holidays, when velvet, satin, ruching, cutouts and other embellishments will be layered onto the form-fitting frocks.
Leather or vegan leather blazers are gaining traction to dress up outfits without being too serious, Moylan said. Styles have scrunched sleeves, retro pocketing and shoulder pads for structure. Warm neutrals will endure from one season to the next, but color leather has its place and is geared toward young fashion-driven consumers.
The puff-sleeved blouse has become a cottagecore staple in recent seasons, and it’s not losing steam. Reimagined as the “dollhouse” shirt, the top is becoming sweeter and more feminine with an exaggerated collar. Made with “prim and proper” shirting material or fabrics that evoke a sense of vintage charm like denim, Moylan said the shirt is an important layering piece and standalone statement for the season. Quirky embroidery, eyelet, lace and contrasting wavy trim offer brands various ways to put their own stamp on the shirt.
Coordinates continue to perform well at retail, highlighting the unwavering demand for easy and effortless style. The trend, however, is stepping away from at-home loungewear. Enter the knit skirt set, an emerging item that Moylan said is both comfortable and sleek. The sets include a slim or column skirt that pairs back to tops like a turtleneck sweater, cardigan, or in the case of younger consumers, a knit bra or crop top. Marled or ribbed knits add texture, while asymmetrical hemlines or stripes add style.
Maxi sweater dresses offer a similar long and lean aesthetic. The emerging trend is a departure from loungewear yet still comfortable, Moylan said. Look for brands to add some sex appeal to the marled and ribbed dresses with off-the-shoulder silhouettes and cutouts.
Knitwear and jersey are key fabrications for the cut-out top, an emerging trend that Moylan said underscores a greater shift to fitted and more skin-baring silhouettes on top. Here, turtleneck and mock neck tops are transformed with cutouts that highlight new erogenous zones like shoulders. Others feature slashes and hardware decorations.
Counter to sexy cutout tops and mini dresses, sweater vests are making a comeback. Styling, Moylan said, is what keeps the trend feeling fresh and youthful. Kitschy prints, crochet knits and Fair Isle patterns live here, while elongated or shrunken fits and cardigan versions make them a fashion item. They also pair well with the dollhouse shirt, she added.
From jeans to loungewear, voluminous silhouettes are dominating the women’s bottoms category. But as more offices reopen, Moylan said tailored details will become more relevant. The dad trouser fills this gap, with slouchy, wide legs and details like pleats or creases. The bottom also tees up opportunities for designers to manipulate the waistband with a tab waist that nods to men’s wear or a paper bag waist to emphasize the volume.
The duvet puffer coat is another example of volume’s success. This emerging item, Moylan said, features a calf-grazing length, oversized quilts and soft blanket-like fill. Satin finishes, connected scarves, wrap closures and hooded styles offer variety. The coat also taps into a prevalent theme: wintertime escapes and mountain getaways. The bundled-up statement piece nods to this aspirational lifestyle, she said.