As last year has shown us, it is increasingly difficult to predict fashion trends. Who could have really expected some of the wardrobe essentials (yes, face masks) we now come to consider as everyday norm?
The industry is undergoing major change, at the same time grappling with an existential crisis between being responsible and still generating revenue. But survive it must – and did, with 2020’s uncertainty continuing to persist.
Trends this year take on a more metaphorical meaning. Instead of just looking at physical designs that grace runways or fill the racks in stores, we have to also look at the symbolism behind fashion practices.
We are no longer living the way we did pre-Covid-19. So the way we dress and think about style will not be the same either. As the industry has shifted its approach, shoppers must adapt too.
Read more: Hindsight 2020: The year fashion found its mettle and grew up
Fashion did not die off last year. Fashion weeks survived, as did the fashion calendar. No doubt, dressing up will remain a source of creativity and comfort even in unprecedented times.
Yet far from being insular, looking ahead at 2021’s fashion is about trying to not only look good but feel good as well. The idea of self-care is the most important thing that fashion lovers must pay attention to.
From the colours to look out for and design silhouettes that will be the new normal, to different ways the clothes are categorised and marketed, 2021 will be a different world – and the fashion trends reflect this.
A need for comfort
Colours designers are opting for in 2021 reflect the current mood. Earthy and more subtle tones have become favourites, seen in the Spring/Summer 2021 collections unveiled last year at fashion weeks.
As a matter of fact, Pantone's “Colour Of The Year 2021” is yellow and grey. The two complementary choices is said to be practical and rock solid, but at the same time warming and optimistic.
“This is a colour combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted; this is essential to the human spirit, ” reads the statement by Leatrice Eisemen, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.
Proenza Schouler’s collection for example, included mustard pieces. Contrasted against vibrant white, it brought about a strangely calming effect. It is also chic and sophisticated – as one would expect from the American designer label.
Giorgio Armani embraced grey. Yes, the colour has been a staple for the Italian design house. But it seems more apt (and standout) than ever this year. A parade of head-to-toe grey outfits were seen on the runway in September last year.
Hanging loose
Will we continue to celebrate pyjamas as an acceptable daytime outfit? No one can really predict, with the pandemic not showing signs of going away and lockdowns still enforced in many countries.
What is certain though, everyday fashion has changed. No longer do we think of tight skirts, form-fitting tops and high heels as outwardly trendy. Loose casualwear and flats is the “uniform” to go for, moving forward.
Suits have transformed. Not so much crisp and tailored, but relaxed and slouchy. If businesswear is to make a comeback (despite the continuation of working from home), it will probably be in this way.
Read more: Feeling guilty about loving fashion? Don't, you can look good and still do good
Oversize button-down shirts are everywhere now. From Valentino to Balenciaga, Sacai, Michael Kors and more, they are worn as dresses or as off-kilter tops in an outrageously avant-garde manner.
Victoria Beckham clinched the look in her Spring/Summer 2021 collection, showing upsize mum jeans in all their glory. Again, this is a big part of the whole comfort factor that fashion can’t seem to get enough.
Across all genders
The industry now celebrates all people. Not just in terms of age or skin colour though. Clothes are being fashioned to suit both sexes, with gender-neutral designs becoming a big trend.
Harry Styles led the charge last year when he appeared on a Vogue cover wearing a dress. While we most definitely won’t be witnessing such a radical shift in how men dress, it signals a change of perception.
Burberry dropped gender binaries for its runway show held in a forest last year. The collection was presented as a co-ed event. In a press release, chief creative officer Ricardo Tisci called it a need “to reimagine, to change”.
“We’ve always been drawn to nature and today we look to the purity and simplicity of the outdoors – where our founder Thomas Burberry laid our foundations – redefining our fashion landscape through new forms of expression, ” Tisci added.
The British label’s gender-neutral endeavour was an extension of what London Fashion Week started. It combined the men’s and women’s calendar together in June, which was described as reflecting the city's “influence on society, identity and culture”.
Fit for all
Body positivity will continue to be a buzzword in fashion this year. In line with courting a generation of consumers who are more socially aware than ever, the industry is trying to show respect for plus-size shoppers.
Paloma Elsesser was recently awarded the title "Model Of The Year 2020” by specialty site models.com. The plus-size American runway star is currently considered a household name, having walked for numerous fashion weeks last year.
Cementing her rise as a model, she was booked by Fendi twice. At the close of the Spring/Summer 2021 Milan Fashion Week in September, Elsesser told Teen Vogue she felt “reflected” in what she was seeing.
“There's a spectrum of bodies at work who are on the tailoring team, who are doing styling. It's very comforting because when I see that, I believe they're dedicated to [this conversation].”
Read more: Will inclusivity be the watchword in fashion for 2021?
British label Erdem has announced that it will offer inclusive sizing (from a 6 to 22) for its Pre-Spring 2021 collection. Some other brands that have already done this include Mary Katranzou, Carolina Herrera and Diane Von Furstenberg.
Even Versace, one of the most traditional Italian fashion houses, used plus-size models in its Spring/Summer 2021 show. So maybe we can expect more size-inclusive clothes on the racks at stores this year?
Reuse, restyle
As it is assumed that everyone shopped less last year, having to recycle clothes and wear them as new looks will be a thing. That old skirt or blouse? Make it part of your snazzy 2021 look.
If you are still adhering to the capsule wardrobe practice of surviving with just a set amount of clothes (a huge trend last year), then it is time to continue on and see what you can do with things you already have in your wardrobe.
Hey, the designers are doing it too. It is no longer unfashionable to repeat an outfit. Coach’s Spring/Summer 2021 collection was styled with items from seasons past to underscore a message about fashion longevity.
“With Coach Forever, I wanted to find new ways of doing things," said creative director Stuart Vevers in a press release. “It was important to me to challenge how we create our collections, and consider their impact on our communities and the planet.”
In Malaysia, Syomirizwa Gupta showed off a collection mixing old and new outfits at Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2020. So we can definitely expect more local designers following suit this year.
And you might have to, after all. Fashion is slowing down. Since last year, numerous fashion houses have cut back their collections in a bid to slow to the fashion cycle (and subsequent wastage) – so there will be less need, pressure and opportunity to buy new clothes.
If in 2020 the industry came to terms with its destructive wastefulness, this year will be a time when fashion lovers cement their commitment to a wiser and more responsible way of dressing up.
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