Top Trend: Satin

As a constant observer of latest fashion trends, you must still have in mind (and probably in your closet, too) one of the stand-out collections of this fall-winter 2017 season. Namely Gucci by Alessandro Michele. One look in particular can’t seem to get out of our head: a floor-length, shoulder-padded, fuchsia satin dress worn by model Marjan Jonkman. Yet Michele is not the only designer who seems to think we need to give satin some well-deserved attention this fall. Here are a few of our favorites.

Gucci

Valentino

Louis Vuitton

As much as Gucci’s satin dress is bold and out-there, Valentino’s take is a soft, monochromatic dream. With an elegant silhouette and the added edge of a heeled leather boot, his woman travels through past and present with exquisite taste. Satin is very delicate, so for some designers like Nicolas Ghesquière at Louis Vuitton, it immediately calls for and update of the négligé. On his runway, satin becomes a balance between hard and soft when mixed with lace or paired with a strict black leather coat.

On the other side of the spectrum, Dries Van Noten delivers the perfect example of ease and elegance with large printed trousers and skirts that seem to flow over the runway. At times, the designer recreates that shiny satin finish onto statement coats that bear the same patterns: a mix of geometric triangles and large-scale flowers. Any kind of print on satin dresses is a go-to for designers like Marni’s Francesco Risso and Joseph’s Louise Trotter, while one silhouette at Jonathan Anderson’s LOEWE stands out for its kimono-inspired quality. For his eponymous label, the Anderson also dips into the possibilities of satin with an audacious purple jumpsuit featuring two large pockets on the bust area.

Marni

Koché

Joseph

Finally, there is the satin suit, a rather daring yet very eye-catching look seen on the runways of Koché and Esteban Cortazar. It is as if young Paris-based designers wanted to remind us that they, too, can bring something new to the table when it comes to tried and true satin. For other noteworthy silky silhouettes, look to Narciso Rodriguez, Prada, and Mulberry. With all these examples in mind, it is definitely time to add some shine to your wardrobe.

Maxime Der Nahabedian

Initially trained to become a specialized translator from English and German to French, Maxime has been writing for fashion and lifestyle publications for about three years. First as a Managing Editor for the quarterly fashion & art magazine Crash where he worked on ten issues, then most recently for the French online media Saywho.fr. His topics of choice go from fashion shows and exhibitions reviews to interviews with various cultural figures (Beth Ditto, Lilly Collins, Aitor Throup).