Glam Utility vs Masculine Tailoring: Fashion Forecast

As 2022 leaves us behind, we are left pondering what 2023’s stand-out trends will look like. So, what will translate from the runway to our everyday wardrobes in the new year? Well, two main takeaways from the catwalk are the prevalence of glam, elevated womenswear contrasting with overt, masculine silhouettes. These two trends can go hand-in-hand, whilst other designers took it to the extremities in their new collections. From the bigger names in the fashion world to underground talented designers, this juxtaposition is nonetheless ubiquitous.

Glam utility nods to influences of Y2K fashion whilst elevating pieces to an arena of femininity. As the notoriety of 2000s fashion does not seem to be going anywhere any time soon, this shift towards a glam perspective on the aesthetic was welcomed. ‘This is the season of the pant’, explained Rickie De Sole, editorial director of Nordstrom. De Sole expands, “You could find styles with pleats and generous width, streamlined and slinging lower on the waist, flare bottoms and cargo pants aplenty — they were omnipresent in every city with a bounty of pockets.” Low-rise pants are synonymous with the Y2K look, thanks to none other than Alexander McQueen’s “Dante” collection, which blew up the trend. We reverted to the high waist in the early ‘10s but have embraced the low-rise silhouette with open arms once again, which has reflected on SS/23 runways.

Coperni presented the most basic take on the low-rise cargo, alongside Dion Lee: the pieces are a direct homage to the utility wear that we see today in high-street stores. Characterised by excessive pockets, zips, and the baggy proportions, their take on glam utility is respectively tame – accessible and truly ready to wear. Statement pieces were provided by major houses Balmain and Christian Dior, blending the androgynous silhouette with feminine florals to accommodate for Spring. Whilst the baggy pant is prominent across most designers, the creativity of texture and materials is to be applauded. Take Act N1 for example, who opted for a sheer material to fully accentuate the excessive bagginess of the look whilst still encapsulating femininity.

Photo Credits: @act_n1 on Instagram

However, other designers were braver in their interpretation of the brief. Whilst still encapsulating the utility of the glam cargo pant, brand Beautiful People opted for neutral yet elevated long-line skirts, paired with harnesses and parachuting capes. Reimagining military silhouettes as flowing and light pieces, the brand executed the theme of utility seamlessly with a cohesive presentation of their new collection. Most notably in this show is the duality of masculinity and femininity, which ignores the glam aspect that has been so prominent across SS/23 shows. The show, titled ‘Side C Vol-9’, was at the forefront an expression of contrast: pieces were big yet small, classic yet twisted. Whilst there seems to be a pressure for larger houses to present the biggest and boldest designs, Beautiful People delivered a stripped-down statement collection without the frills.

This fluidity goes hand-in-hand with the next forecasted trend: masculine tailoring. The season of the pant coincides with the season of the blazer. Across the board, fashion houses offered their interpretation of the masculine piece, mostly exaggerating its size in their womenswear runways. Masculine tailoring removes the barriers of who can wear what, making the manliest pieces hang with an effortless chic on female silhouettes. Victoria Beckham demonstrated this with ease in her SS/23 show, combining the boxy suit with pastel pink hues to pepper feminine influence into a predominantly male garment. The same goes for Valentino, who paired an oversized blazer with an ultra-mini dress.

But there was a more conscious effort by designers to elevate the look into something truthfully androgynous and all-encompassing. The most notorious for this trend was Jil Sander, whose show also incorporated glam into the traditionally masculine garments with accessories and embellishments. With a runway sported by men and women, designer Luke Meier explained, “We looked at clashing glamour into very simple workwear”. The structure of the suits combined with the light and bright colour palates delivered a collection that is perfect for Spring.

Following the theme of inclusivity, designer Hed Mayner had a playful take on the masculine suit in a gender-fluid presentation. Mayner explained, “The proportion is about removing the class, gender, status, whatever”: speaking on his choice to create an overtly androgynous runway. In these cases, the trend of masculine tailoring is not confined to women as a novelty or a trend. It’s a wider opportunity for all margins of society to feel free to express themselves without a label, which is truly admirable.

Photo Credits: @jilsander on Instagram

From exploring the base level of these trends to the more elevated interpretations, it seems that there is an entry point for all. Whether you are more inclined to stick with the reserved examples set by Coperni or venture into the world of fluidity with influences from Hed Mayner, there truly is something for everyone. It’s exciting to compare how designers digest a trend and make it their own – something that has sincerely reflected in SS/23 fashion weeks.