Why I Cannot Get Enough of FW23: A Review

Fashion week is the gathering place for celebrities and influencers of the .01% to flaunt their most ‘Hunger Games District 1’ looks in the front row for some of the world’s most influential and visionary brands in the last century. Oftentimes, for us normal folk, we watch the highlights of these shows through our little glass mirrors, whispering to ourselves in the sweatpants we’ve been wearing for the last three days, “who the hell would ever wear something like that?”

And then sometimes, there’s a show or two that knocks our hypothetical week-old socks off. To me, this was most of Fashion Week’s Autumn/Winter 23-24 collections in New York, Paris, and Milan.

Not only were a lot of these shows revolutionary—utilizing laces and sequins and stripes and ruffled leathers in a way that made me, the world’s biggest winter hater, say, ‘we don’t need summer. I want to wear these big puffy jackets forever,’—but they were imaginable. Unlike the infamous lionhead dress from Schiaparelli’s SS23 in Paris earlier this year (which radiated President Snow and Capital fashion more than a lot of other things I’ve seen), much of the pieces presented in AW23-24 were things I could actually envision myself wanting to wear. And for someone who loves high fashion but is a normal person, this was everything.

Let’s start by talking about my favorite collection, which actually comes from the FW23-24 ready-to-wear show in Paris: Zimmermann, an Australian brand designed by the incomparable Nicky Zimmermann.

What made Zimmermann stand out to me this year was elegance; in billowing silk and printed kaftans and lace details worn over denim jeans, Zimmermann took inspiration from impressionist artwork created by 19th century painter Rupert Bunny to create the romantic collection.

Occasional pieces of blush pink lace were directly juxtaposed with a black leather jacket over top, which screamed out to my “cannot choose one aesthetic” heart. And everyone who knows me knows that I buy a new coat for every occasion and Zimmermann’s army green plaid trench made me shudder.

I’ll now highlight some specific pieces that were to die for from various collections, starting first with this peach-colored, shapely dress from Victoria Beckham’s second showcase at Paris Fashion Week, which immediately made me think of some kind of graceful sea creature. The collection as a whole was an homage to the act of playing dress-up, a hobby that we never quite seem to grow out of, thankfully.

From Victoria Beckham’s A/W 23-24 collection

*photo cred: LAUNCHMETRICS SPOTLIGHT*

One piece from Chloé’s Autumn/Winter 2023 collection stood out to me through its monochromatic blocking. A flowing ivory skirt attached to a tight black long-sleeve turtleneck made me reminiscent of a world in which I took ballet (I did not) but hinted at the recent ballet trend. The collection took inspiration from a societal need to see women in leadership roles and power and did so through Renaissance-like pieces that highlighted female Baroque painter Artemesia Gentileschi.

Chloé A/W 23-24

*photo cred: LAUNCHMETRICS SPOTLIGHT*

Saint Laurent said, “let’s make shoulder pads MASSIVE,” which I of course loved. Designer Anthony Vaccarello took pinstriped matching sets and brown bomber jackets took a bold new level, channeling the 80s in a way that made me miss an era I wasn’t born to see. Nothing beats an oversized cream-colored blazer or a classy white tank beneath a dark pinstriped jacket. All it’s really missing is a young Tom Cruise on your arm and you’re good to go.

SS Daley blew me away at London Fashion Week this year. With the iconic Sir Ian McKellen leading the charge on the runway, Daley channeled the high seas with its sailor-inspired collection that was triggered by Kate Bush’s song, “The Ninth Wave,” proving that music really can create an entire world with its atmosphere. And what made this show even better was the connection to literature; Kate Bush was inspired by Alfred Tennyson’s “The Coming of Arthur,” which provided a worthy accessory for Gandalf to carry. All in all, a 10 out of 10 collection that was truly more than just clothes: it was the world that clothes can create.

And while we’re on the topic of celebrity runway premieres, let’s talk about this year’s Harris Reed and Florence Pugh collaboration.

Florence Pugh for Harris Reed

*photo cred: LAUNCHMETRICS SPOTLIGHT*

For AW23, Harris Reed put one of the hottest actresses of our generation in sparkling diamond-patterned sequins and a round sculptural piece that would make the Red Queen jealous. This show most accurately portrayed the fun that can be had with theatrical dress-up, and really pushed that message by using upcycled theatre drapes as fabric. The black and gold sparkles and velvet was quite literally the embodied tribute of Hollywood in fashion.

And now, it’s time for some honorable mentions. So many other brands had incredible collections this time around, and it was hard to choose the ones to highlight, but top of my list is this Fendi look that I will surely be trying to recreate this spring.

*photo cred: LAUNCHMETRICS SPOTLIGHT*

I also want to highlight how much I loved Act No. 1’s menswear collection, which bends gender rules and combines suits with ruffled skirts, which I will be forcing any significant other from here on out to wear to dinner.

The love I had for this piece from Molly Goddard’s London show is unparalleled, as is my obsession with this Erdem piece and its white ruffles and black sleeveless suit jacket.

Molly Goddard piece (L) and Erdem piece (R)
*photo cred:* *LAUNCHMETRICS SPOTLIGHT*

And finally, although there were many more I could probably talk about, I have to give a shoutout to this Max Mara sweater look, which takes the cake for upended knitwear and pairs my obsession with big statement coats and long gloves. God bless.

Why I Cannot Get Enough of FW23: A Review

A Weekend in L.A.