After a month of fashion weeks, retail intelligence platform Trendalytics filed through thousands of runway images to pinpoint the most important themes for Fall/Winter 2024-2025.
In a webinar last week, Trendalytics fashion director Kendall Becker described how designers used colors and fabrics to tell their stories of nostalgia, versatility and luxury.
“There were many facets of this season that continued from what we saw in Spring/Summer 2024, but what’s interesting is how they showed up in such a different way,” Becker said.
The throughline included feminine touches, whimsicality, and an affinity for clothing that sparks excitement. Rather than head-to-toe basics, she said there was a strong focus on styling and “making art out of a lot of mundane items” like yoga mats and apples for Fall/Winter 24-25.
Meanwhile, two of the hottest trends—pink and rosettes—were downplayed as designers examined femininity in new forms, especially through retro inspirations.
Retro colors reminiscent of the ’70s are filtering into fashion. Becker said collections felt classically fall with marigold yellow, green and burgundy.
Burgundy is on track to become the color of the season. Described as a spicy alternative to the cherry red that splashed across the runway in recent seasons, the color adds warmth to autumnal color palettes. Classic navy and spice plum bring a balance of richness, while sage green and nude pink are wearable accent hues.
Black, chocolate brown and gray were key neutrals, but Becker said winter white is on the downturn. “When we were seeing lighter shades, it felt more in sand and beige,” she said.
Real and faux fur was another unmissable trend, seen on coats and as trim. The “mob wife” staple was contrasted with sheer dressing like Saint Laurent’s head-to-toe transparent look or singular items like a sheer skirt styled with a traditional top.
There’s also a return of color leather, which Becker said looked chic and luxurious in shades like burgundy and wine.
Through femininity has become an undertone of recent seasons—evident in the flood of pink and 3D floral embellishments—Becker said designers are viewing the theme through an “updated lens of nostalgia,” resulting in ladylike suiting.
“What was very interesting about this was that it was seen at edgier labels like 16 Arlington or Prada that aren’t normally known for ladylike tailoring as [a brand] like Chanel. So that’s a key indicator of when something is exciting—when these other labels are jumping on to play with it,” she said.
Designers are also less focused on head-to-toe wardrobe staples. Instead, they offered “elevated leisure,” a story that calls for designers and consumers to up the ante on styling, Becker said.
Labels like Valentino set the framework for pairing relaxed and laidback items with dressier pieces, be it a hoodie styled with a sequin skirt or a quarter-zip top paired with tailored trousers.
“It’s become clear that staple dressing can only hold attention for so long,” she said. She added that the trend is a continuation of how covid and work-from-home policies are affecting fashion and amplifying the need for versatile wardrobes.