Fashion wrap-up 2023

Sahiba Cuccria

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As you bid goodbye to 2023, your Spotify playlist isn’t the only thing that’s trending. The sartorial world of fashion had its own hits and a few misses. We bring you some noteworthy trends.

Rooted in Tradition

The ‘Make in India’ concept is here to stay. While the effortlessly elegant kurta co-ord sets became an essential addition to the Indian wardrobe, sarees that are six yards of pure grace made headlines, courtesy Alia Bhatt donning effervescent chiffons in ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani’. For the trivia lovers, the man behind those looks was none other than designer Manish Malhotra, who, with his modern sensibilities, transformed the traditional saree into both cinematic delight and fashion statement.

Not So Basic

Classics can never go out of fashion. This year, however, the crisp white shirt became more than a wardrobe staple. It all began with actor Cara Delevingne gracing the Met Gala red carpet, wearing the iconic white shirt to honour her late friend and legendary fashion maestro Karl Lagerfeld. Often called the Renaissance man, Lagerfeld owned close to 1,000 white high-collared shirts tailor-made for him. He was usually seen wearing them paired with a black jacket, skinny black jeans and boots.

Sustainable Take

With all the talk around sustainability and conscious clothing, 2023 was all about eco-friendly fabrics. ‘Circularity’ was the it word when it came to mindfully choosing clothes. For those who are new to this concept, the fashion focus shifted from ‘in with the new, out with the old’ to ‘repair it, resell it and rent it’. With many high-street brands focusing on upcycling and recycling, durable fashion is the new trend.

Desirable Denims

Fashion gods played the ‘denim’s advocate’ this year. From high-waist skirts to maxis, denims made a reappearance on the fashion circuit. Denim overshirts, too, remained a street-style staple. Another favourite was the suit vest that made for a chic look, paired with the timeless denim jeans. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say, 2023 was the year of denims.

All That Glitters…

From sequined skirts to shimmering paillettes, glittering outfits shone the brightest in 2023. With Christmas round the corner, this trend is the theme for December. Whether it be rhinestone-embellished handbags or the avant-garde bling fabrics, glitter has taken centrestage when it comes to fashion. Bling isn’t reserved for the night anymore. It is, in fact, a daytime showstopper now.

Red Is The New Black

Red is the colour of the season, and the Little Red Dress is the go-to outfit of the year. Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta, Fendi and more, introduced their own red renditions of the Little Black Dress. It is more versatile and a party pleaser.

While this was a roundup of the fashion trends for 2023, it would be interesting to see which of these take the reins in 2024!