6 trends for women – spring/summer 2023

Text: Chili Media Foto: Vogue Runway, Copenhagen Fashion Week (Acielle) and the producers

Modesty is not high on the agenda for the coming spring and summer seasons. Rough and unpolished expressions are in vogue, and the fashion world has yet to tire of bare skin. In terms of colour, no one will be able to ignore that pastels are making a comeback.

More importantly, though, it’s no longer good enough to just produce clothes. Every brand must do their bit to build a better world and find ways to reduce their ecological footprint.

Time for Pastels

The predictions are in: One of the biggest colour trends for the SS23 season will be the return of pastels. Years have passed since pastels dominated fashion, and some claim that’s due to the recent state of the world. In the latest seasons, we have needed strong colours to give us strength, inspiration, and joy, but now that we’re putting the pandemic behind us and we’re regaining a sense of calm, we are craving calmer, lighter colours. Keep an eye out for pastel shades of purple, pink, yellow and green to get you ready for the coming season.

Values in Focus

Fashion is so much more than textiles, billboards and runway shows. Consumers, as well as society as a whole, are becoming increasingly aware of environmental issues. The fashion industry has, without a doubt, one of the worst environmental track records, and people are demanding change. Experts are predicting that feelings, values, and ideals will shape the fashion landscape of SS23.

Brands should listen to consumers’ calls for more sustainable fashion, for example in their choices of raw materials and environmentally-friendly solutions in every part of the production chain.

People are also yearning to belong in a rootless and chaotic world, where the metaverse is becoming a reality. These futuristic tendencies will find it’s expression in both colours and patterns of a cosmic flavour, as well as in a fluid, genderless fashion that strives for openness and inclusivity.

Going forward, it will be the brands that are ethical, inclusive and sustainable that will dominate. Some examples are Ganni, Baum un Pferdgarten and Cras Cph from Denmark, as well as Norwegian ESP Oslo and Envelope1976.

Take Jewellery Seriously

On the SS23 catwalk we’re seeing large, flashy, and dramatic jewellery. Be fearless and playful with your accessory choices this season. The neck is especially important, and in several shows we’ve seen large, heavy jewellery compositions and often in several layers.

Body jewellery around the hips and waist were also popular choices.

Patchwork

It’s time your trousers caught up with your quilts – patchwork is the way forward. Different types and washes of denim are to be patched together, resulting in a relaxed, raw, and somewhat redesigned look. A number of fashion houses have unveiled their version of patchwork denim on the runway, but the trend does not only apply to denim. The patchwork look, mixing different materials, colours, and patterns, has been worn by runway models and street style stars alike.

Mesh Mode

Even though so-called undressed or nude fashion has been around for a while now, there is still no sign of this trend losing traction. Cut outs, crop tops and low-rise are still on the rise, and being combined with mesh – preferably without anything underneath. What could be more natural than a nipple on display? The SS23 season is daring and unashamed, and urges us to envelop our skin with mystique, in a light layer of mesh.

A Rough Look

SS23 fashion embraces the torn and the rough, with clothes turned inside out and with unfinished seams. A slightly rough, incomplete, and unpolished look characterises the trends for the coming spring and summer. The look is compatible with a number of materials, and don’t shy away from loose threads and showy seams.