11 Big Trends for Fall 2019: Power Platforms, Plaid, Purple & More

With fashion month officially wrapping earlier this month, buyers and editors alike have had time to sift through the myriad runway offerings and adjacent collections to decipher what will become the biggest trends come this fall.

Here, a look at 11 of the trends that are sure to stick this upcoming season.

1. Scene-Stealing Platforms

Whether a party shoe or something more serious, the platform heel made a big comeback on the fall ’19 runways. From Tom Ford’s velvet peep-toe platforms kicking off New York Fashion Week to Tommy Hilfiger’s vintage sandals at his Tommy x Zendaya extravaganza at Paris Fashion Week — and everywhere in between — expect to see a lot of heightened shoes come fall.

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Alexa Chung

Giuseppe Zanotti

Rick Owens

2. Millennial Purple Reign

Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2018 is likely to keep going for fall ’19, with brands from every tier opting for the hue and complementary shades.

Tom Ford

Cushnie

Nanushka

3. Scrunched and Bunched

Of the myriad boot options available for fall ’19, those with a scrunch-style ankle or knee opening made for one of the season’s easiest style updates.

3.1 Phillip Lim

Saint Laurent

Isabel Marant

4. OTK All the Way

If there was anything that fall ’19 had a shortage of, it was the basic black over-the-knee boot. Instead, designers went all out on color and embellishment.

Magda Butrym

Casadei

Sergio Rossi

5. Hike On

Last year’s hiker trend continues to permeate all footwear markets, including women’s designer collections, which for fall ’19 were done with subtle updates like herringbone prints, colorful laces and color blocking.

Tabitha Simmons

Versace

Fabrizio Viti

6. Riot Grrrl Redux

Combat boots, punk separates and angry-looking models called to mind the feminist underground punk movement of the ’90’s. From Miuccia Prada’s interpretation at both Prada and Miu Miu, and Versace’s grunge remix to the proliferation of New York Fashion Week’s experimental brands, such as Collina Strada, Eckhaus Latta and Telfar, expect to see a punk-grunge update this fall.

Prada

Miu Miu

Collina Strada

7. Mad for Plaid

A cold-weather staple, plaid was a mainstay for fall ’19, migrating from its current buzz in interior design to the runways. Christian Dior’s Maria Grazia Chiuri devoted almost the entirety of the brand’s collection to buffalo plaids in red, green and black-and-white, while other brands like Marine Serre, Aquazzura and Midnight 00 did their own take on the perennial print.

Christian Dior

Aquazzura

Marine Serre

8. Welcome to the Jungle

Fall ’19 is looking to become a whole snake pit of boots. Versions of the slithering reptile on everything from thigh-highs to booties make it likely to be the print of the season.

Jimmy Choo

Marques’Almeida

Paula Cademartori

9. Brown Out

The color’s recent reputation as dull and outdated is no more:  Brown was everywhere on the fall ’19 runways, especially in monochrome ensembles featuring a combination of luxe materials like suede, cashmere, wool and stamped leather.

Max Mara

Tod’s

Hermès

10. Armor Luxe

Get ready to suit up for fall. From motocross-like boots to some downright scary studs, protective looks ran through the runways.

Bottega Veneta

Balmain

Gucci

11. Strong Coats — and Even Stronger Boots

Statement outerwear proved to be a match made in heaven for all of the statement boots that walked the runways, and it’s likely that retailers will focus on the two categories in tandem for fall ’19 deliveries.

Altuzarra

Marc Jacobs

Celine

See all of the boots of fall 2019, straight out of Fashion Month.