The FW23 season has been by far one of the most iconic since the 90s, but a clear shift in focus from major brands to emerging designers and collaboratives has made it all the more special.
From mythical retellings and dreamy textiles to primal themes and faux taxidermies, this past season and its respective designers have done a brilliant job at encapsulating what it truly means to experiment with fashion and have brought an entirely new light to the industry.
Let's take a look at some of the most iconic collections we've seen over the past weeks.
Luar's Fall 2023 RTW
A 58-look collection reinventing the 90s women's power suit, Luar's Fall 2023 RTW brought brutalism to the runway.
The collection was designed by Raúl Lopez, who said he took a significant amount of inspiration from his mother and the women he encountered in the neighborhood he grew up in, which just so happened to be close to the location of the actual show in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
The women's looks tended to take on more commanding silhouettes compared to the men's looks, an excellent representation of the rise of female empowerment over recent decades.
Photo: Isidore Montag / Gorunway.com
But that wasn't the only message behind the looks. After the show, Lopez gave a beautiful tribute to heirlooms and the importance of how fashion can represent different histories and environments, truly sealing the collection's tone as something not to be missed.
Wiederhoeft’s Fall 2023 RTW
Consisting of 25 looks, Wiederhoeft's collection emphasized- according to the designer's standards- a sense of modern nostalgia, described by Wiederhoeft himself as a retelling of the Greek myth Orpheus and Eurydice, in which Eurydice chooses the underworld.
Tulle and lace were both critical parts of the collection, along with Wiederhoeft's signature corsets and even several bridal-style looks.
And though silhouettes had a tendency to float away from the body, they still encapsulated a heavenly and almost delicate feeling as models took to the runway one after another, walking the audience through the tale as if though they were living it.
Photo: Daniele Oberrauch / Gorunway.com
"I was thinking about things that are undoable, words that are unremovable, things that you do that cannot be undone…" Wiederhoeft stated after the show- a vision that was perfectly demonstrated in the collection.
Fendi's Spring 2023 Couture
This 39-look collection by Kim Jones was something truly worthy of obsession- riddled with dreamy slip dresses, unconventional handbags, statement jewelry, and pastel fabrics with notes of diamond and glass.
Shoes, details, and accessories placed emphasis on a near-future concept of youthfulness and power blending together, presenting a show that was extremely elegant yet other-worldly.
Photo: Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com
Jones stated that the collection was "a continuation" of his fall couture, a response to Fendi clients' requests for evening dresses- something which he provided in a blissfully unexpected way.
His goal was to encapsulate a sense of lightness in his work, something that we don't often see in spring couture, despite what many might believe.
Tomo Koizumi's Fall 2023 RTW
Titled "Don't Forget to Bring Your Flowers," this 30-look collection created by Japanese designer Tomo Koizumi was shown at Dolce & Gabbana's headquarters in Milan this late February.
With the help of Dolce & Gabbana, Koizumi executed a brilliant show full of color and life, and described the looks as a gift to the people of Milan- a concept from which he took inspiration for the collection. "When I go to my friend's homes, I bring flower bouquets as gifts, and this is my bouquet to the people in Milano."
Photo: Isidore Montag / Gorunway.com
Blooming, the looks were full of color- like life on a runway- perfect as statement colors and styles come back into play this spring season. And truly, in a world at war and still recovering from the effects of Covid-19, it was a breath of fresh air for those looking for a bit of light as the season came to an end.
Roberto Cavalli's Fall 2023 RTW
These 53 looks designed by Fausto Puglisi were inspired by his 2022 trip through the American Southwest, producing a beautiful collection of hedonistic and raw designs.
Throughout the collection, we saw plenty of heavy statement jewelry showcasing turquoise and silver, studded platform boots and heels, and a wide array of uniquely remade textiles.
Photo: Isidore Montag / Gorunway.com
One of the focal points of the show was denim, included as an ode to Cavalli's start in fashion, during which he spent his days scrounging for denim scraps in Italy, which he later made into hippie-style pieces.
Faux furs and leathers designed by Puglisi were also included, created with the help of a factory in Japan that specializes in designing authentic-looking fake textiles.
The entire show was rich yet primal, perfectly balancing the fine line between distressed and sophisticated and showcasing Puglisi's talent to bring out a new side of fashion.
Schiaparelli's Spring 2023 Couture
Fashion changed the day Daniel Roseberry brought faux taxidermies onto the runway, a stunt which he pulled a few times within the 32-look Schiaparelli collection, but his four animalistic looks Inspired by Dante Alighieri's Inferno weren't the only eye-catching pieces we saw during the show.
Setting a whole new bar for the industry, the couture collection was impossible to predict, leaving spectators on the edge of their seats. Elements of nature and history were highlighted throughout the event, each gilded to bring out a kind of glamour we haven't seen since perhaps 2018's MET Gala.
Photo: Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com
Roseberry's looks all had a very sculptural effect, consisting of gold-plated faces and masks, sarcophagus heads, commanding silhouettes, and of course, the infamous faux animal taxidermies made from foam.
Moreover, the show had a spectacular pre-show event, during which Doja Cat made a dazzling entrance decked head-to-toe in 30,000 hand-applied red Swarovski crystals, and Kylie Jenner wore a piece from the collection itself: a strapless black velvet gown affixed with a lifelike lion's head.
From start to finish, the collection was possibly one of the most iconic Schiaparelli has ever done, and is forecasted to reign as one of the highlights of the season.
By: Mackenzie Ostrowski
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