On the Spring 2024 runways in New York, London, Milan and Paris, designers played around with classic elements, giving them new life through unexpected pairings, dramatic proportions and fresh, casual styling. It was a particularly wearable season, with playful mini hems, relaxed short suiting, and lots of ’90s nostalgia leading the way. There was also sophisticated coziness to the overall color palate, meaning quiet luxury is very much here to stay—but for those craving pops of color and glitz, there’s plenty of fabulously glamorous evening wear to choose from. Here are our top takeaways from what we saw:
1960s Mini Hems
We’re no strangers to the mini hem but this season’s best dresses and skirts were not only mini, they all shared a similar ’60s silhouette reminiscent of the 1967 classic Valley of the Dolls. We loved the boxy shape at Marni, the luxe gold hues at Miu Miu, the barely-there length at Michael Kors and the long sleeved sheer versions at Missoni.
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’90s Nostalgia
The ’90s were arguably the chicest decade, and we hope its resurgence is here to stay. Marni nailed the aesthetic with a high ribbed turtleneck and low-slung maxi skirt, Bally with the long tank and cord pendant necklace, and Ferragamo with the layered, color blocked dress.
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Business Casual
The suiting trend we saw a lot this season was on the shorter side. Mostly the shorts were a Bermuda length, like at Loewe, Chanel, and Dries van Noten. But mini hems also made an appearance at Gucci and Prada.
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Butter Belle
She’s soft, she’s delicate, she’s as smooth as can be. Butter-hued dresses at Loewe, Bally, and Proenza Schouler, and the matching sets at Louis Vuitton, Del Core and Jil Sander dominated the runway, providing us with a perfectly mellow dose of sunshine.
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Denim Dandy
While denim is a fashion constant, we felt the unexpected ways the textile was utilized on this season’s runways was important enough to call out. Junya Watanabe’s tiered stitching made for a unique denim dress silhouette, Chanel and Valentino had full denim sets which was atypical for the brands, and Schiaparelli, who is known for more dramatic occasion pieces, showcased denim cargos—a style we all have our eyes on.
Film Noir
A couple of our favorite shows of the season were Prada and Maison Margiela. At Prada, slime leaked from the ceiling while the soundtrack from Hitchco*ck’s Vertigo played in the background. The dark, 1950s-inspired rhinestone encrusted dresses felt both polished and undone at the same time. John Galliano’s Margiela collection had a similarly eerie mood: The models walked dramatically in eccentric hourglass dresses and a sheer evening gown. At Dior, the collection was mostly all black clothing, like this off-the-shoulder cinched waist dress.
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Knit Knit Hooray
Cardigans and fair isle knits were the most prominent knitwear trend this season. We loved the painstakingly intricate pieces at Bottega, the matching fair isle sets at Molly Goddard and the playful cardis at JW Anderson that looked like they were missing arm holes.
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Layer Cake
Whether you are layering up to brave the cold at Balenciaga, wearing what’s left in your closet on laundry day at Meryll Rogge or running to the corner store for milk at Miu Miu, many brands had fun with layers this season, creating unexpected juxtapositions that felt laid back yet intentional.
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On the Fringe
If Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada, Matthieu Blazy, and Sarah Burton are all telling us that fringe is back in style, well... you better believe it’s true! We loved Prada’s intentionality with the added skirt piece, Alexander McQueen and Gucci’s subtlety with the fringe dangling only at the very end of the garments, and Burberry’s full send from head to toe.
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Playing with Proportions
At Loewe and Rick Owens, the bottoms were extremely high waisted. At Burberry, the brand’s classic trench coats were updated with a low slung waist. We also saw lots of supersized accents, like the Peter Pan collars at Comme des Garçons and the buttons at Vivienne Westwood.
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Sporty Chic
When we think of sporty attire, we usually think tracksuits, jerseys, and sneakers. All quintessential athletic elements, but as the runways continue to evolve into a more elevated space, how does this affect sportswear? Right now, it’s all about pairing classic sportswear looks with more festive or tailored pieces for just the right amount of contrast. We felt this was best seen with the use of skirts at Louis Vuitton and Gucci, the addition of blazers at Miu Miu and Wales Bonner, and the satin pants paired with a windbreaker at The Row.
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The Bigger the Better
Really, what’s fashion month without a little drama? Bottega Veneta’s enlarged poms poms, Marni’s double circle dress and skirt combo, and Willy Chavarria’s oversized bow cape were examples of perfectly dramatic effect in evening wear.
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The Greatest Show on Earth
Some designers looked to Barnum and Bailey for spring inspo. From clowns and acrobats to lion tamers, tightrope walkers and magicians, this trend has it all for your viewing pleasure. Look 35 at Louis Vuitton first sparked this trend for us and the rest soon fell into place. The magician at puppets and puppets, the tightrope walker at Bode, and the lion tamer at Jil Sander were dead ringers for performers in the chicest big top ever.
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Traveling Wardrobe
Inspired by a woman packing and checking into a hotel, much of the Louis Vuitton collection consisted of mixed silk shirting and pajama-inspired pants. At Balenciaga, we saw hotel inspired bathrobes, and at The Row, terry cloth towels around the model’s necks. And of course, your classic runway swimwear at Chanel, Bottega Veneta, and Duran Lantink.
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Tumble Dry
Inspired by the worn-in look of our favorite Prada coat, we noticed that many other brands had a similar “tumble dry” feel as well. Look 1 at JW Anderson looks as if it is still hanging on the clothesline, Duran Lantink went intentionally shrunken, PH5 has you wearing your whole hamper, and Y/Project looks like it is still crumpled up on the floor of your bedroom—in the best, most appealing sense.
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Out of this World
Starting with Tory Burch during New York Fashion Week, this fashion month gave us a taste of The Jetsons, with futuristic feels popping up on runways everywhere. One look at Courreges was Judy Jetson in the flesh, Prada’s clothing was not only futuristic in structure but the show venue was cold and sterile, and Sportmax, shown in a clinical setting, was set to contrast the tension between the natural and the synthetic.
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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As a fashion enthusiast and expert, I have closely followed the Spring 2024 runways in New York, London, Milan, and Paris. I have witnessed designers pushing the boundaries of fashion by reimagining classic elements and incorporating unexpected pairings, dramatic proportions, and fresh, casual styling. This season has been particularly exciting and wearable, with playful mini hems, relaxed short suiting, and a strong sense of '90s nostalgia taking center stage.
One of the standout trends of the season is the resurgence of 1960s-inspired mini hems. Designers like Marni, Miu Miu, Michael Kors, and Missoni have showcased dresses and skirts that not only embrace the mini length but also feature the boxy shape, luxe gold hues, and sheer long sleeves reminiscent of the iconic 1967 film "Valley of the Dolls."
The '90s nostalgia trend is also making a strong comeback, with designers like Marni, Bally, and Ferragamo embracing the chic aesthetic of the decade. High ribbed turtlenecks, low-slung maxi skirts, layered color-blocked dresses, and long tanks paired with cord pendant necklaces have all been key elements in capturing the essence of '90s fashion.
Business casual takes on a shorter and more playful twist this season, with Bermuda-length shorts dominating the suiting trend. Designers like Loewe, Chanel, Dries van Noten, Gucci, and Prada have all embraced mini hems and incorporated them into their tailored ensembles.
The color palette for Spring 2024 exudes sophisticated coziness, with butter-hued dresses and matching sets dominating the runways. Designers like Loewe, Bally, Proenza Schouler, Louis Vuitton, Del Core, and Jil Sander have all showcased the warm and mellow tones of butter, providing a much-needed dose of sunshine.
Denim has been reimagined in unexpected ways this season, with designers like Junya Watanabe, Chanel, Valentino, and Schiaparelli showcasing unique denim silhouettes and styles. Tiered stitching, full denim sets, and denim cargos have all added a fresh twist to this fashion constant.
Film noir-inspired fashion has made a statement on the runways, with designers like Prada, Maison Margiela, and Dior embracing the dark and moody aesthetic. Rhinestone-encrusted dresses, eccentric hourglass dresses, sheer evening gowns, and off-the-shoulder cinched waist dresses have all captured the essence of this cinematic era.
Knitwear has taken center stage this season, with cardigans and fair isle knits being the prominent trend. Designers like Bottega Veneta, Molly Goddard, and JW Anderson have showcased intricate knits, matching fair isle sets, and playful cardigans that add a cozy touch to any outfit.
Layering has been a fun and experimental trend this season, with designers like Balenciaga, Meryll Rogge, and Miu Miu playing with unexpected juxtapositions. Whether it's layering up for warmth or creating a laid-back yet intentional look, layering has been a key element in many collections.
Fringe is back in style, as indicated by designers like Raf Simons, Miuccia Prada, Matthieu Blazy, and Sarah Burton. From added skirt pieces to subtle fringe details, this trend adds movement and a touch of playfulness to any outfit.
Proportions have been played with on the runways, with extremely high-waisted bottoms at Loewe and Rick Owens, low-slung waists on Burberry's classic trench coats, and supersized accents like Peter Pan collars and oversized buttons at Comme des Garçons and Vivienne Westwood.
Sportswear has taken on a more elevated and chic look this season, with classic sportswear elements being paired with more festive or tailored pieces. Skirts paired with sportswear looks, blazers added to athletic ensembles, and satin pants paired with windbreakers have all created the perfect balance of sporty and chic.
Drama has not been lacking this season, with designers like Bottega Veneta, Marni, and Willy Chavarria embracing oversized and dramatic elements in their evening wear. Enlarged pom poms, double circle dress and skirt combos, and oversized bow capes have all added a touch of theatricality to the runways.
Inspired by the world of circus and performance, designers have looked to Barnum and Bailey for spring inspiration. Clowns, acrobats, lion tamers, tightrope walkers, and magicians have all influenced this trend, with Louis Vuitton, puppets and puppets, Bode, and Jil Sander showcasing looks that would fit perfectly under the big top.
The idea of a traveling wardrobe has also made its way onto the runways, with designers like Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga incorporating mixed silk shirting, pajama-inspired pants, and hotel-inspired bathrobes into their collections. Terry cloth towels worn around the neck and classic runway swimwear have also added a touch of wanderlust to the fashion scene.
A worn-in, "tumble dry" feel has been prevalent this season, with brands like JW Anderson, Duran Lantink, PH5, and Y/Project embracing a relaxed and slightly disheveled look. Clothes that appear to still be hanging on the clothesline, intentionally shrunken pieces, outfits that look like they've been pulled straight from the hamper, and crumpled garments have all added a sense of effortless cool to the runways.
This fashion month has also given us a taste of the future, with futuristic feels popping up on runways everywhere. Designers like Tory Burch, Courreges, Prada, and Sportmax have embraced futuristic structures, cold and sterile show venues, and contrasting natural and synthetic elements to create looks straight out of "The Jetsons."
In summary, the Spring 2024 runways have seen a diverse range of trends and styles, from '60s-inspired mini hems to '90s nostalgia, business casual suiting, butter-hued dresses, denim reinvention, film noir elegance, knitwear prominence, experimental layering, fringe details, proportion play, sporty chic ensembles, dramatic evening wear, circus-inspired looks, traveling wardrobe influences, the "tumble dry" aesthetic, futuristic fashion, and much more. These trends have come together to create a vibrant and dynamic season that celebrates the past, present, and future of fashion.
