Is there anything more satisfying, fashion wise, than seeing a trend on the catwalk that you’ve already got in your wardrobe? Iconic classics that stand the test of time are the ultimate rebuff to “What was I thinking?” fads. Here, we reveal the timeless prints, styles and colours you’ll want to wear again and again.
Women’s trends
Go wild
Seen at: Celine, Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Paco Rabanne, Jacquemus, Altuzarra, Alexander Wang
From snake to zebra, plus a few tigers on the prowl, the collections walked on the wild side this season. But leopard knocks the spots off every other print. Why? It’s universally flattering, powerful, seductive and, most likely, already in your closet.
Think pink
Seen at: Carolina Herrera, Christopher Kane, Kenzo, Roksanda, Sies Marjan, Valentino
If only real life was as rose-tinted as the catwalks, where this most feminine of hues proliferated in shades from millennial to bubblegum and beyond. Is the use of pink a celebration of girl power, a protest, or simply a delicious pop of colour? If you ask us, it’s all three.
Check mate
Seen at: Burberry, Chanel, Dior, Coach, Marine Serre, Pringle, APC, Celine, Oscar de la Renta
The bourgeois tweed blazer, the rainproof mackintosh, a tartan wool coat: check autumn/winter outerwear off your list. Throw in argyle and houndstooth for the full compendium of this brilliantly British trend.
What’s new, pussycat?
Seen at: Valentino, Balenciaga, Celine, Dior, Christopher Kane, Marc Jacobs, Tibi
The ultimate nine-to-five look in the 1960s and 1970s, the gloriously girly pussy-bow blouse has stood the test of time, with contemporary fans including Kate Middleton and Amal Clooney. Team yours with a midi skirt and boots for polished perfection or high-rise jeans and loafers for nonchalant chic.
Say yes to the (midi) dress
Seen at: Celine, Dior, Chloé, Dries Van Noten, Erdem, Fendi, Givenchy, Helmut Lang, Hermes, Roksanda
Versatile and flattering, a great midi dress can take you from the office to a party in any season. Getting maximum mileage out of a midi is all about the styling: go casual with ankle boots and a biker jacket, or up your game with 1970s stack heeled knee-highs and a trench.
Men’s trends
Action man
Seen at: Dior Homme, Prada, Stella McCartney, Cottweiler, Kent & Curwen, Valentino
Military is the ultimate ally in men’s fashion, as timeless as a pair of Clarks shoes, and it works in a full battalion of styles. Start with the classic trench, relax with a pair of cargo pants, make a statement in a flying jacket and rely on khaki as your go-to shade for everything.
Fifty shades of grey
Seen at: Dior Homme, Dries Van Noten, Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Prada, Lemaire
Grey is the ultimate neutral – it goes with everything, works in every format, and can be endlessly reworn. But if you only have three grey garments, go for a charcoal suit, a crisp grey T-shirt and a classic knit.
Depend on denim
Seen at: Marni, Margaret Howell, Off-White, E Tautz
Denim as a fashion stalwart? You don’t say. This season, denim is on especially good form; the autumn/winter catwalks were loaded with oversized denim – a welcome reprieve from the bad old days of the sprayed-on skinny jean.
Take the biscuit
Seen at: Burberry, Dries Van Noten, Zegna, Fendi, Lemaire, Loewe, Rochas, Ferragamo, Wooyoungmi
Custard cream. Malted milk. Bourbon. There’s a delicious hint of the biscuit barrel to the new season’s palette, so layer up in cosy neutral shades as the weather cools.
Puff daddy
Seen at: Burberry, Christopher Raeburn, Dries Van Noten, Zegna, Iceberg, Undercover, Versace, Y-3
Drop your vision of an irate football manager in a duvet coat – if you shop clever, a padded jacket is a stylish, hardy perennial. To ensure yours looks fresh for years, look for plumped-up panels and a removable hood. Colour? Keep things classic with navy, khaki, grey or black.
Fashion trends that stand the test of time need a shoe that is just as hard working. With a wide range of colours, prints and styles, the classic shapes and comfort fits of Clarks’s new AW19 range provides the perfect final touch, whatever the trend.
