8 Trends Set to Define 2024 Fashion

Twenty twenty-three has been a wild and crazy ride in the fashion industry, with creative directors coming and going, designers completely revamping their brands, and finally, some fresh-feeling trends debuting on the runways. New avenues of inspiration have been introduced by way of sports, with Rihanna appearing at the Las Vegas Grand Prix in Gucci, Prada, and Balenciaga; Netflix's Beckham reminding us of every Posh Spice game-day outfit from the '90s and early aughts; and Grace Wales Bonner continuing to bring soccer style to the fashion set through her collaboration with Adidas. And of course, there's the quiet-luxury movement, which single-handedly ushered in a return to simple, wearable style after years of saturated hues, maximum volume, and over-the-top accessories. 

Because of all this, I have a pretty good idea of what 2024 will look like sartorially and, specifically, which trends will go on to define its 365 days. From the one designer who's set to rule the year ahead to the one color you can expect to see on every bag, sweater, dress, and shoe in January and beyond, everything you need to know about fashion post December 31 is yours for the taking below. And remember to take notes. In a few weeks' time, when everyone else is scrambling to refresh their wardrobes to go along with their resolutions, you'll be sitting pretty knowing you've already earned a master's in 2024 fashion. 

Unlike many of today's luxury brands that have embraced social media with open arms, allowing them to be everywhere all at once, a small offset of the landscape has taken a different, quieter approach. These are the Phoebe Philos, Khaites, and The Rows of the world, and they're proving that you don't need to scream with big logos, international advertising campaigns, and a goal of ubiquity to garner acclaim in 2024. For these labels, control of their brand narratives is of the utmost importance, which means the people who wear their pieces are hand-selected and on a very exclusive list. In turn, when you see someone donning head-to-toe The Row like Jennifer Lawrence or Phoebe Philo like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, they automatically appear leveled up and worthy of admiration. If you're a fan of timepieces, think of them as the equivalent to a Patek Philippe or Audemars Piguet. Everyone wants one, but not everyone can have one. And while those hyper-social companies will no doubt continue to find success in other ways, in 2024, the more hushed, aspirational ones are predicted to win out in more ways than one, setting the standards for who and what is cool throughout the year ahead. 

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Oh, you thought fashion's obsession with all things red would fizzle out just like your midnight glass of champagne come New Year's Day? Think again. Rather, I'm expecting the color—which first debuted in limited collections for S/S 23 but really became unmissable six months later at the F/W 23 shows—to continue its period of domination well into 2024. And I'm not just saying that. The vibrant shade is already destined to make waves when the spring 2024 collections arrive in stores following a storming performance at Proenza Schouler, Ferragamo, The Row, and more shows from September. But that's not all. The popular color's darker, moodier sister in oxblood or black-cherry red is set to follow suit after an equally popular season, where it showed up at Gucci, Versace, and Saint Laurent. 

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If I know anything about life in 2024, it's this: Stocking up on elevated basics will remove a majority of your morning stress. It's that easy. And designers know it. Across the board, simple, timeless, and versatile pieces have replaced louder, showier alternatives, with brands like Ferragamo, Proenza Schouler, Bally, and Tove all taking a minimal approach to dressing for the year ahead. And while their pieces will, of course, be on the pricey side, there's no reason you can't save a bit on your wardrobe staples thanks to fashion insider go-tos like COS, Massimo Dutti, Uniqlo, and Mango. If you're going to splurge, do it on belts, handbags, jewelry, and footwear, all of which are far easier to wear again and again and will elevate all of your new easy basics.

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Look around. Everyone's watching—not to mention talking, tweeting, and dressing for—sports. And the craze over all things athletic hasn't even hit its peak yet, let alone its end. According to a Business of Fashion piece about the Las Vegas Grand Prix earlier this month, Lewis Hamilton's Burberry, Bottega Veneta, and Valentino looks from the race earned media impressions valued between $780,000 and $830,000. Meanwhile, fashion girls like Emili Sindlev, Caroline Daur, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley are all quickly becoming F1 regulars. On the tennis front, fashion research account @databutmakeitfashion reported that the number of fashion-related searches from the U.S. Open were 26% higher than those from New York Fashion Week thanks to appearances by Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet, Nicole Kidman, Katie Holmes, and Hailey and Justin Bieber, not to mention Coco Gauff's on-court looks. And then there's Taylor Swift, whose attendance at the Kansas City Chiefs game in September caused a nearly 400% increase in sales for Travis Kelce's merchandise, says Axios. (Casual.) Clearly, fashion people these days aren't immune to the draws of a good game, and they're all too willing to use it as an excuse to put on a chic outfit. But if you're more interested in shopping than actual sports watching, more power to you. It'll take all of your free time and concentration to score a pair of Wales Bonner x Adidas Sambas anyway, the likes of which sell out faster than Swift's Eras Tour tickets.

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As I mentioned, the fashion landscape is changing dramatically as creative directors play an adult version of musical chairs for seats at some of the most prestigious houses in the industry. In the last four years alone, Ferragamo's gone through an epic rebrand thanks to Maximilian Davis, who's elevated the Italian brand into one of today's most beloved and talked about in the entire fashion space. Matthieu Blazy's taken over from Daniel Lee at Bottega Veneta, with Lee going to Burberry to revitalize the British label. In September, Peter Hawkings debuted his first collection for Tom Ford to much acclaim, as did Sabato de Sarno for Gucci, Louise Trotter for Carven, and Simone Bellotti for Bally, initiating a sense of newness that's been missing from fashion for quite some time. In turn, 2024 is shaping up to be a year of fresh starts at every turn. 

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It wasn't that long ago that the idea of wearing a suit or anything even remotely corporate-inspired felt utterly repugnant not to mention unrealistic. We spent our mornings, afternoons, and evenings behind a computer screen at home, at best wearing a blouse or sweater on top and boxer shorts and Ugg slippers on the bottom. But times have changed dramatically since the quarantine days, and more and more each season, designers and dressers alike are not only softening to the idea of business casual (and even formal) but craving it. Prada, Peter Do, Bottega Veneta, and Proenza Schouler all tapped their HR departments for tips on the perfect suit to wear back to work, while chic fashion people dug out their Monday-morning finest from pre-COVID storage to wear during fashion week in Milan and Paris. As a result, I'm predicting all things pinstripes, ties, sharp shoulders, and even sharper collars to win the head-to-head against sweatpants in 2024. And if inspiration's what you need, just watch Suits. Rachel Zane and Jessica Pearson have this trend down. 

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Remember when every viral fashion collection included micro miniskirts, Y2K belt buckles, and crop tops? Same. Now forget it completely, because entering into 2024, the look everyone will be going for is on the opposite side of the dressing spectrum to anything one is likely to reference when talking about early aughts fashion tropes. I'm referring to pure elegance, an up-and-coming trend that brands like Prada, 16Arlington, Altuzarra, and Chanel have all jumped on board with for the upcoming year. Prepare for an abundance of duchess satin and tweed, not to mention A-line silhouettes in the form of voluminous skirts and dresses, formal opera coats and gloves to match, kitten-heel pumps, and really anything that could've been found in the costume department of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. 

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Every year, there's one brand that sticks out as the clear favorite among the fashion crowd. It's talked about constantly and worn even more, and because of both, it becomes almost impossible to avoid (in a good way). We've seen it happen with Bottega Veneta, when pouch bags and kelly green were a dime a dozen during fashion month. Prada's taken the position for a few years now, setting trends for future seasons and becoming one with the early 2020s zeitgeist. Come 2024, though, that brand is Tory Burch. 

What sets the New York based brand apart is the way it approaches consumers. The designer, who stepped down from her role as CEO in 2018 in order to focus her attention on the creative side of the business, has one of the fashion world's most nuanced understandings of how women want to experience clothes, from the actual pieces she makes to the shopping experience she's created in her stores. In a manner that contrasts Phoebe Philo and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's marketing methods for their labels, Burch really puts herself and her brand out there, hosting friendsgivings and Upstate New York slumber parties with its closest friends, i.e., the coolest and most influential young people in the city. At the same time, she's dressing interesting celebrities such as Kerry Washington, Emily Ratajkowski, and Alix Earle; hosting the buzziest shows during New York Fashion Week; and winning coveted awards. In turn, Burch is proving that exclusivity isn't the only way to succeed in the modern fashion ecosystem. 

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