Leather, fur, crushed velvet, satin. This winter, timeless textiles are making their seasonal comeback. From haute couture to the LM hallway, classic silhouettes and fabrics are having a renaissance.
On the runway, designers are reinvigorating traditionally masculine, outdoorsy silhouettes. In Tommy Hilfiger’s 2024 autumn and winter show—known as AW24—huge shoulder pads and sharp collars were featured in the majority of looks. Highlighting ageless wool and silk, fabric choices also helped make the collection timeless.
Burberry continued the pattern of blazers and trench coats, albeit trading the patriotic color scheme of the Hilfiger collection for earthy beiges. The collection also featured fur accents, like cuffs and collars, indicative of the fur craze winter fashion is undergoing. One look featured a tan trench coat with frilly hems paired with a long, patterned tunic. This outfit was also paired with thick, commanding black sunglasses, a matching printed headscarf, and rubbery, workman style boots. The look oozed luxury not through branding but through design—a feat that’s increasingly rare in times of gaudy labeling. Additionally, almost every piece in the Burberry collection was functional, a step away from the unwearable, avant-garde styles of summer 2024.
Another notable collection, the Versace AW24 show, was a masterclass in Winter couture. Many pieces were made in holiday colors like red and gold, accented with tasteful pearls or sequins. One fiery leather dress, later worn by Anne Hathaway, featured an off-the-shoulder neckline, a tight bustier bodice, and ruched pencil skirt. The drapery on the skirt was flirtatious yet elegant, bunched like the ripples of a lake after a pebble is dropped in. This dress summed up exactly what winter fashion should be—festive, but not gaudy.
Mirroring the couture world, winter fashion is returning to the basics on the street and online. For men, the archetypal blazer and tailored trousers are thriving. This combination is continuously lauded as high fashion, although the same pieces could likely be found on a man two centuries prior. In men’s streetwear, the pieces are baggier and more colorful, but remain fundamentally the same: pants and a shirt.
For women, low rise jeans, kitten heels and leather jackets are everywhere, although these trends are far from new. Kitten heels and leather jackets were both introduced in the 1950s, while low-rise jeans peaked in the early 2000s. This consistent recycling of fads is inevitable, but still leaves the slight stale taste of unoriginality. Recently, trench coats of all textures and tastes have also popped up. Animalistic, wooly coats can be seen side in store windows aside sleek canvas. However, the fur fad has reached beyond basic outerwear: earmuffs, leg warmers, and even scarves brandish the fuzzy fabric.
Excluding fur, most feminine styles of this season have aligned with the unending “clean girl” aesthetic. Grungy sneakers are pushed away for squeaky new Sambas, and prints are overlooked in favor of solid colors. Trending colors include cranberry-adjacent burgundy and velvety navy blue—brighter hues are widely considered tacky.
At LM, these internet-famous styles permeate the student body, though only the most comfortable items make it through the ringer; one would be hard pressed to find an Ace walking around in a trench coat. According to Hana McLain ’27, the best outerwear is a “North Face puffer with no hood.” Along with quintessential jackets, Uggs, cozy sweatpants, and classic long sleeve tops are some of the most prevalent winter items at school today. Gwen Burris, ’28 mentioned “lov[ing] the Ultra Mini Uggs.” Shannon Heft, ’27 mentioned that she “enjoy[s] being able to wear a sweatshirt and sweatpants everyday without judgement.”
LM students have both soaked up internet trends and concocted their own unique perspective of what’s in style. Spanning from Hilfiger to high school, this winter fashion season has exemplified two key themes: history repeats itself and trench coats are always in style.
