New York Fashion week came to a close recently, and as we look back on some of our favorite runways shows, many trends for Fall 2017 have emerged. Behind the scenes this season there was a lot of power shifting, not just for design houses like Calvin Klein and Oscar de la Renta, whose new creative directors, Raf Simons and co-directors, Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia, ushered in a new season of talent, but of course, within our political system as well.

There was plenty of velvet, fur, sequins, and lace, as we’ve seen in past seasons, but a different array of trends came to the forefront, like flared sleeves and fringe, and something unique to this NY runway season was the political influence found in many collections. Some more blatantly, like Public School’s “Make America New York,” and Wendy Nichol’s variety of “Dear America” statements. Others more subtly, like the influx of tailored pantsuits – perhaps à la Hillary Clinton?

As far as the overall silhouettes, it seems that designers have been moving away from skin-tight and transitioning to more breathable cuts like cigarette style versus skinny for pants. We’re still seeing skin in off-the-shoulder pieces, fabric cutouts, and slim trousers, but on the other hand there are also a lot of oversize elements at play. Pant legs may have reached their most extreme width yet, and fun details, like pockets, are also on a very large scale.

In terms of fabric and colors, menswear plaids may have usurped denim as the fabric of the moment, and while there was a wide variety of color palettes, reds stood out overall.

Whether or not you find yourself gravitating towards the political aspects of this season, we’ll break down for you some major trends to keep an eye on for Fall 2017. We’ll discuss our favorite trends for overarching themes, key garment, silhouette, fabric, color, details, and accessory.

:: Overarching Themes

Political – Often outwardly through slogans, this translated into a simple but emotionally charged look. In eighteenth century France cockades, red, white, and blue ribbon buttons, were worn to signify political allegiance, and many other examples throughout history have been chosen, but what is so striking about many of these pieces for Fall 2017 is that they very literally featured their feelings directly in print. See: Prabal Gurung, Public School, Wendy Nichol, Alice + Olivia, The Elder Statesman & Calvin Klein.

Victorian House on the Prairie – Victorian details, like the collar and bodice ruffles of Derek Lam, Warm, and Coach, or puffed shoulders, like Frame, were seen on many garments for Fall 2017. These details were typically mixed with a floral print, denim, or an otherwise hardy contrast to the very feminine Victorian elements.

:: Key Garment

Pantsuits – Hillary Clinton is known for her variety of pantsuits and the presidential debates must have been on the minds of some these designers. These well-tailored pieces were given a twist in many forms on this runway, either through playful patch pockets, like The Row, fun patterns and color, like Thom Browne and Suzanne Rae, or unique details, like the silhouette piping of Tome. 

:: Silhouette

Extra Wide Leg Pants – There were certainly a variety of silhouettes on the runways but the extra wide leg pants certainly made an impression. The sheer width of the fabric may have reached its extreme this season. See: Maki Oh, Adam Lippes, Nili Lotan & Christian Siriano.

:: Fabric

Menswear Plaids – Borrowing from fabrics one might see on Savile Row, these plaids, over plaids, glen checks, and multitude of plaid variety lent a masculine feel to female garments.These were often used for female pantsuits and especially pants, just as they would be for men on Savile Row, but the garments utilizing plaid ran the gamut in terms of garment item and style. See: Tracy Reese (over plaid),  Fay (over plaid), Tory Burch (plaid), Rosie Assoulin (plaid).

:: Color
Some bright metallics, emerald green, and deep blue among others, but the standout color was red, red, red! All different shades and hues of showstopping red. See: Nicolas K, Max Mara, Oscar de la Renta & Anna Sui.

:: Detail

Oversize Pockets -This fun detail coincides with the ever-widening pant legs. These oversize pockets represent some of the vast array of shapes and closures for pockets seen on the runways. See: Proenza Schouler, Marc Jacobs, Lisa Perry & Zadig & Voltaire.

Playful Shoulders – Many off-the-shoulder evening looks, like Zac Posen, peek-a-boo shoulder cutouts, and one shoulder dresses showcased the many ways to play with and highlight the wearer’s shoulders and deconstruct the sleeve. See: Zac Posen, Proenza Schouler, Self-Portrait & Jason Wu.

Fringe – Fringe is certainly nothing new in terms of a garment accent trend, but it seemed more prevalent this season, especially for evening wear, most often beaded, like a 1920s flapper. See: Rachel Zoe, Marchesa, Naeem Khan & Milly.

Ruffle/flare sleeve cuffs – Perhaps calling to mind a Spanish Flamenco dancer, like Badgley Mischka, or an eighteenth century Incroyable, like Adam Lippes, there were many instances of a flare or ruffle cuff sleeve. See: Badgley Mischka, Adam Lippes, Maki Oh & Nanette Lepore.

:: Accessory

Wide Waist Cinch Belt – Many designers included this accessory and whether it seemed military, punk, or minimalist, it was almost always seen around the actual waistline on the outside of the garment. See:  The Row, Monse, Adam Selman  & Thomas Maier.