There was a tone shift this season at the menswear shows. In advance of the collections, I spoke to some of my favorite menswear prophets and experts, looking for a vibe-check. Most of them agreed that the fall 2023 season was going to usher in a return to tailoring, and that the overall mindset would lean into classicality and a renewed outlook on traditional elegance.
This was true of some of the season’s most-talked about shows: At Saint Laurent, Anthony Vaccarello established an uncompromising symbiotic relationship between his women’s and men’s collections, the decadent glamour of the former informing the latter, while Kim Jones doubled down on his romantic, couture-like vision for menswear at Dior Men with expressive cutting and sumptuous fabrics that set a high bar for the season. Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons presented a collection rooted in traditional silhouettes, re-cut as if to adjust to the modern “man.” And after seasons of playful and defiant Duchampian experimentation at Loewe, Jonathan Anderson presented a palette cleanser, too; formulating an essential wardrobe made of lush silks, leathers, and…metal.
If the past few years represented a departure from tradition—away from clean-cut tailoring, leather soles, and sartorial elegance—2023 finds designers eager to rework the classics, only now they’re applying what they’ve gleaned from fashion’s recent experimentations with queer aesthetics, womenswear staples, loungewear, and streetwear.
Tailoring is no longer merely the corporate uniform, but another tool prime for remixing along with the rest of our wardrobes. Sloping shoulders and broad-shouldered, pulled-forward cutting were two directional ideas this season, and designers found classic office-wear ripe for an update. Now a more regular sight in men’s collections, skirts went long, at last finding a singular silhouette versatile enough for all menswear wearers (that maxis were trending at the women’s collections last year is no coincidence). Draped, sheer, and embellished “going out tops” presented a strong, focused message this season, too—it’s time to leave those black tees behind and dress up.
Elsewhere, down jackets evolved into outlandish power puff experiments, while the loungewear and athleisure that were so essential in the early part of the pandemic have been transformed into true going-out propositions. Read along for 9 trends from the fall 2023 menswear shows that set the tone for the year ahead.
The Going Out Top
So long, basic tees.
The Hefty Jacket
Double breasted and dropped waist, with hulking shoulders.
The Power Puff
Odd, outlandish, and better than your comforter.
The Long Skirt
Midi or maxi, the silhouette goes long for fall.
The Sloping Shoulder
Built-up neck, rounded shoulder.
The Next 9 to 5 Uniform
A reimagined wardrobe for your hybrid work hustle.
The Matrix Coat
Red pill, blue pill, black coat.
The Sheath
Streamlined, exact.
The New Athleisure
For the other half of your hybrid schedule.
