Brown is the new black, overcoats take centre stage as the pièce de résistance of your outfit, and slouchy bags are subtly edging out their structured counterparts.
This Fall-Winter, let us help you unravel the trends that effortlessly strike the perfect sartorial balance between minimalism and maximalism.
This season, there’s a decisive shift towards making a spectacle while retaining wearability. From New York to Milan, ateliers are stripping away the gimmicks and replacing them with an artful approach to autumnal clothing. Think construction, craft, and colours – with a paradoxical infusion of both futurism and nostalgia.
Brown’s burgeoning influence can be credited to the popularity of 2025’s Pantone Colour of the Year, but when it comes to the crafty collars borrowed from the past, you can see the calculated contradiction. Let’s unravel the practical yet romantic Autumn-Winter trends that are going to shift the paradigm.
While burgundy, cherry red, and muted olive are all front-running contenders, the many shades of brown have taken the crown this fall. The hue lacks the absolute rigidity of black and subverts the resounding playfulness of the pastels of spring.
Whether mocha-drenched or desert-warm, brown’s ability to offer a wide variety of shades that fit seamlessly within both ends of the spectrum is what makes it universally appealing. From Anthony Vaccarello’s inclusion of cognac-toned belts and power-shouldered jackets to Ralph Lauren’s suede caramel jackets and cardigans, browns dominated Fall-Winter 2025 presentations.
Structured bags that remain steady on your arm will always carry a timeless charm. This fall, however, it’s time to soften up. Slouchy bags are often categorised as bohemian and informal, but with design houses merging their signature DNA into these laid-back, dropped-down styles, this category has received an elevated facelift.
Take the Chanel hobo bags, for instance, with their slumpy triangular structures, copious amounts of space, scrunched-up opening details, and classy double-C hardware – the best of both worlds for both Millennials and Gen Z. Louis Vuitton, Alexander McQueen, and even Schiaparelli followed suit this season.
Gone are the days when a simple trench coat in a humble shade of beige was the ultimate winter companion. The art of layered construction has upped the ante when it comes to overcoats. Why take it off at a dinner party when it can be a curious conversation starter?
And that’s especially true if you’re wearing a number from Rokh’s Fall-Winter 2025 line – the scalloped hemline connecting to the shoulders gives it an avant-garde feel. The checkered retro coat with a peek-a-boo solid lining by Miu Miu also offers an interesting iteration of the otherwise regular overcoat. Louis Vuitton’s moss-like ombré kimono-style jacket further testifies to this change.
Leopard and snake prints clearly outpaced other predatory patterns this season. Their savvy revival, paired with equally bold designs, made a compelling case for these timeless motifs as enduring fashion staples. Paired with a solid-coloured pencil skirt, Saint Laurent’s leopard-print infusion was a balanced mix of the mob-wife aesthetic with a side of city-girl chic. With Alessandro Michele’s touch, animal prints create a deliberate chaos, woven seamlessly with elements like faux fur, lace, and embellishments – a curated madness only he can masterfully orchestrate.
When it comes to faux fur, the challenge lies in crafting innovative alternatives that match the quality luxury consumers expect, particularly to justify their investment. Having undergone a quiet revolution, from Miu Miu and Gabriela Hearst to Valentino and Ralph Lauren, runway shows unveiled a masterful blend of textures and details, all artfully crafted to capture the rich essence of faux fur.
