The Top Trends From Men’s Fall 2020
This season’s menswear collections proved two things: men’s is no longer the underdog of the fashion weeks, and the days of mundane clothing for men are officially behind us. There were, as ever, plenty of beautifully tailored classics but we were pleasantly surprised with all the daring silhouettes and hits of whimsy: super slim fits from Givenchy, oversized jackets at Moschino, extra-long scarves at Dries. Julien Dossena made 1970s dreams come true, while Miuccia Prada churned out one perfect look after the next. The bar has officially been raised—a stuffy suit jacket and pocket square just won’t do.
Seemingly every major designer sent some interpretation of the cardigan down their runway this season, be it preppy or punk-inspired. Gucci showed classic mohair, while Givenchy did a chunky, oversized version.
Where there’s a fall runway, there’s always a scarf. But this season, many labels went to extremes, showing extra-long, floor-skimming knits that harken back to that iconic photo of Lenny Kravitz walking down a New York City street wearing what was effectively a throw blanket. Dries Van Noten’s take was mustard-yellow, adorned with fringe, and Raf Simons opted for a fur-lined look.
Many of the men’s collections were sprinkled with embellished moments that kicked normcore to the curb. Clare Waight Keller, for one, said she was inspired by a recent exhibition on the lavish life of the Maharaja of Indore, a prince who embraced fantastic jewels and bespoke fashion. Her interpretation of that aesthetic was a fully beaded top at Givenchy. Others that followed suit with hints of sheen included Lanvin, Valentino, Loewe and Dior. (We’re expecting to see a few of these styles on red carpets this awards season.)
If the prevailing notion is that oversized equates to sloppy, designers aimed for a paradigm shift. The question this season: just how big can you go? With the exception of Moschino’s outlandishly large puffer, which provided more comic relief than actual wearability, brands like Raf Simons, Rick Owens, and Loewe all opted for bigger proportions while still keeping the overall look polished.
Out of a sea of beige overcoats and navy parkas emerged a fresh take on colorful prints. Geometric sets at Prada, printed denim at Martine Rose, cloud-patterned suiting at Louis Vuitton—designers this season treated even the wildest prints as neutrals, and had some fun mixing them.
Punk and grunge pop up constantly in both women’s and men’s collections this season. While Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, Comme des Garçons, Dries Van Noten, and Raf Simons went the tartan-heavy route, labels like Alexander McQueen, Marni and Givenchy took more minimal approaches.
Was Fabio, everyone’s favorite romance novel cover star, the inspiration behind this trend? It appears so. Romantic shirting was a huge fan favorite this season, from Dries Van Noten’s feminine silks to Loewe’s playful feathers.
Any good trend will have a strong counter. So in contrast to all the oversized looks, slim fits also made an appearance. Prada’s first look, consisting of a tapered trouser and sweater vest, was especially tantalizing. Givenchy, Gucci, Ludovic de Saint Sernin, and J.W. Anderson also presented their own spins on tightened seams and slimmed-down silhouettes.
