CuratedEnsemble

As December hits the calendar, you are welcome to the month of fun, festive and full of cold. Its time to stay cozy with fashion kudos at the forefront of your mind. So Girls, pull your socks up, do your homework, get your shopping lists ready, hit the racks and stand out in the masses.

After traipsing round the four fashion capitals, we have filtered all the shows into Autumn/Winter 2018-19 Outerwear trends. This season seemed to be less about the actuality of the garment and more about the person inside it. The bulky silhouettes, multi layers and maxi lengths on the show demonstrated both a need to assert and defend oneself, while bright colors, sparkle and eccentric details acted as a breath of fresh air.

Here’s a rundown of the  10 key Outerwear trends to wear this Winter.

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1) Shearling

The fashion industry has turned a sharp corner with its stance on the use of animal fur but be it real or fake, this glorious trend seems to be here to stay forever. Givenchy’s first models emerged in highly realistic retro looking oversized coats nipped in at the waist with tied leather belts, Philipp Plein’s winter wonderland set had analogous dyed fur coats, Chanel enveloped knitted jacket with Faux Fur, Fendi awed the on lookers with tan caramel toned warm silhouettes. Cape/ jacket/ overcoat/maxi length or just panel/ collars/ sleeves/ trims, its got fur? Splurge on!

 

 

2) Hybrid “Two-in- One”

Boxy shouldered coats described as ” A romantic uniform for a strong powerful women today” by Venturi Fendi, Francesco Risso at Marni putting his Technoprimitivism collection as  “The contrast between our irresistible love of innovation and technology,” the designers this season are mixing up the fabrics inline with the thoughts. Denim/ Quilted/ Leather jacket with Synthetic Shearling at Coach 1941, Snake print with Plain Leather at Marni, Fur with Leather at Louis Vuitton, Checks/ Puffers with Stripes at Sacai resulted in some unusual combinations ( a break from patches or yolks inserted here and there). The best of all were outfits that gave two distinctive looks on the left and right sides( Marni, Sacai) at the same price.

 

3) Checks

Checks, the most sophisticated and elegant pattern, in their all forms are key for the new season. Buffalo Checks, Prince of Wales, Houndstooth , Madras, Tartan Plaid were recreated in rich colors and classic neutrals. Seen at Aigner, Beautiful People, Loewe, Tela/ Michael Kors, Christian Dior/ Versace respectively, they looked chic yet aristocratic on Deluxe fabrics like Tweeds and Warm Wool with twisted leather details and leopard prints.

 

4) Dramatic Prints

“What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today, when human contacts are so quick. Fashion is instant language.” – Miuccia Prada

That said, the prints you wear say a lot about your emotions and sends out a message to the viewer, the top fashion houses are here with their breathtaking creativity to help you out. Jeremy Scott, Moschino in collaboration with Australian artist Ben Frost designed collages of comic strip images and cartoons for art aficionados, Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel had leaves fallen for every park in Paris creating nostalgic, romantic mood while Pierpaolo Piccioli’s, Valentino, “Romanticism is strength”, was showcased through floral appliques, flowing lines, vibrant sophisticated color sense and dramatic shapes. Beware of your mood and current affairs the next time you go shopping!

 

5) Leather

Trench coats, Biker jackets, Peplum coats, Anorak-style jackets, its a tough leather war. The perfect take for sporty, feminine, romantic, theater, vintage or corporte dressing. Vinyl and suede leathers in a plethora of colours from shocking hues of Klein blue, kelly green(Marni) to muted shades of red (Versace), brown(Tod’s) and off-course “the black”    (Aigner, Christian Siriano, Louis Vuitton).  Alexander Wang’s mesmerizing black blazer dress with zippers around the waist & anatomical seams around the bust being a jaw-dropper, Fendi didn’t forget to slap their double- Fs on glossy coats.

 

6) The Great ’80s

Silhouettes got big-bigger-biggest, bright-brighter-brightest drawing inspiration from the Eighties power-women styles with a touch of film noir, a pinch of sci-fi. In the wake of second wave of feminism, designers are  playing a massive role in the broad shouldered revolution. Minimalism & professional fashion of early 80s, vibrant colors & power dressing of mid 80s, consumer friendly fashion of late 80s, runway collections transported us to the bygone era – billowy sleeves, high necks, rich textures, over sized shoulder pads, tweed with lurex, sequins, long wool coats, leather trenches, gigantic cashmere coats, prints featuring cartoons and characters. You are Madonna, Dynasty, Working Girls fan? Watch out Winter 2018-19 collection.

 

7) Animal Prints

Fashion has once again fallen in love with the chic, exotic, and graphic appeal of animal print. These motifs are making a major comeback in the trendy urban jungle. Leopard spots give leather & fur coats a little extra glamour, snake-like scales are completely captivating, and zebra and tiger stripes add visual energy to every outfit. This season, more than ever, is the best time to show your wild side!

 

8) Blanket Throws

Wrap lovers- there’s a new update for you in town. Say hello to blankets! The throws have become an essential accessory in the Wardrobe that are becoming increasingly deconstruct-able. Draped over model’s shoulders the piece served as a Shawl(Roksanda, Gucci) or a Cape( Lemaire) or even as a Poncho (Isabel Marant), transformed into a dress that held up by the leather straps (Beautiful People) and elongated into a coat at Alexander McQueen. Easy to whip on, easy to take off and perfect pick for fashion emergency!

 

 9) Quilted Coats

Ramps are in romantic, nostalgic mood, ‘PROTECTION’ remains the Buzzword. Helping you avoid the winter’s worse is the puffer jacket, outerwear’s official star. Top designers have reinvented this basic quilted topper, making room for creativity and modern interpretation. Elongated or amplified, these jackets are reworked with shiny finishes, logomanias, cartoon prints and saturated colors that’ll create a captivating look against the immaculate snow.

 10) Holographic

Space age fashion has been lighting up the runways with the shimmery mirage of radiance and color. Iridescent designs were perfectly demonstrated with Maison Margiela sending models in a myriad of prismatic looks, Balmain high wattage, high gloss ’80s circuit giving suits a dazzling, holographic up gradation, Anrealage ‘Entitled Prism’ a technically innovation show, cloaking PVC glow-in-the-dark coats and irresistible trench swirling in its reflective fabric at Sies Marjan.  Bored being a Minimalist? This trend is here to experiment & make you shine!