Keep it practical, keep it stylish

Rather than churn out dozens of big new ideas, designers are saving their showstopping propositions for the Fall 2018 shows that are just around the corner.

They have turned an eye to practical, stylish clothing that women can actually, you know, wear.

That’s not to say the 200-odd shows were covered on Vogue Runway are boring.

Comb through them closely and you can find the kernels of what could become Fall 2018’s biggest ideas—like a decidedly arty tent dress in a wild pattern or a tough cinched waist created by either a bold belt or a darted blazer.

We’re showcasing those ideas and more, here.

Familiarise yourselves with them now—the list will come in handy when you start shopping for your look.

The skinny mini

Miniskirts never go out of style, but the thigh-grazing length hasn’t been at the forefront of fashion for some time. Leave it to Karl Lagerfeld to resurrect the silhouette with his swinging ’60s Pre-Fall collection for Chanel.

Precious cargos

With the public’s appetite for denim slowing, designers are looking to cargos as the must-have pants of Pre-Fall. Whether you step into Sonia Rykiel’s wide-leg pair or something slinkily tailored by Dsquared2, consider the low-key trousers a welcome piece in your wardrobe with plenty of pockets to store your iPhone, credit cards, lip balm, and other necessities.

Smock frocks

Some of Pre-Fall’s most standout dresses are decidedly unsexy. Big tent shapes in wild prints appeared everywhere from Gucci to Giambatista, proving that an arty frock has wide appeal.

Ruche Hour

So, you’re anti-smock frock? Fret not.

Designers are bringing back slinkiness with body-conscious, ruched dresses like the ones seen at Preen and Etro. Even daywear comes with a little shirring.

Animal house

Cats, and dogs, and birds, oh my! It’s a literal zoo at the Pre-Fall collections, with animals becoming a favourite motif at Givenchy, Erdem, and Stella McCartney.

Totally waisted

The return of the power suit has been one of fashion’s most prominent trends of late. For designers from Jil Sander’s Luke and Lucie Meier to Zac Posen are rethinking the silhouette with a more feminine nipped-in waist.

Belt du Jour

Speaking of the waist, Koché’s Christelle Kocher, Joseph Altuzarra, and Sonia Rykiel’s Julie de Libran, among others, put the emphasis on the midsection this season with bold, sometimes logo-ed statement belts.

Photos credits:
(Maggie Marilyn)