Every year, the first few days of summer feel eternal and unfamiliar. There’s a sense that the season will never end but also that it’s never existed; like none of us have ever felt the humid air sticking to our freckled sunburnt skin. That sense of newness seems to always apply to our wardrobes, too. The perfect summer outfit is more of a feeling than a trend, and it’s one we want to try to capture before the season is really in full swing.
But there will always be trends. And this year, the pieces everyone wants fits into a very specific mood, at least according to CEO of Italist, Diego Abba. “The mood right now is hopeful but nostalgic, looking back into fashion’s archives,” he says. “There’s also a focus on quality perhaps more than quantity, comfort more than razor-sharp statement pieces.”
When I think about what I want to wear for summer, I do find myself referencing the past. In particular a photo of Carrie Bradshaw in ‘90s New York wearing a sweet, sheer white puff sleeve top with navy Adidas shorts and a red pair of peep-toe mules. It’s nostalgic and slightly nonsensical. It shouldn’t make sense but it does. It’s practical and a little bit sexy with all of the makings of an outfit that won’t make you sweat but still makes you want to walk everywhere, so everyone can see it.
When Abba gave me a run down of the biggest trends for the months ahead, and what’s been leading the edit at Italist, I noticed plenty of them fit into this look that I love. There’s an obsession with ‘90s minimalism that hasn’t faded, as well a newfound unapologetic love of sheer garments. But there’s also lots of other things people seem to be shopping like metallic footwear, moto-inspired leather separates and bright, colorful dresses. Ahead, shop the top six summer trends of 2023.
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While Miu Miu's most recent runway show made nerdy frames trend, the summer's most popular look is chunkier frames that make more of a statement.
“For sure, special specs,” says Abba, when trying to decide on the very first summer 2023 trend that comes to mind. “In the eyewear space, brands like Chrome Hearts, Jacques Marie Mage, Chanel Eyewear, and Cartier Eyewear are hugely popular right now, because they’re hard to find, classically styled, and less common.” The most popular sunglasses are oversized enough for a Jackie O look or bling-y enough to feel like they were picked straight out of a '90s pap shot. And clearly, they'll stand the test of time.
When Wales Bonner released a lookbook of models wearing a metallic samba, its three classic stripes reimagined in a delicate doily-appearing lace, the internet declared it the shoe of the summer. And they were right. When it came time for the sneakers to launch, they sold out instantly. On TikTok, unboxing of the shoe have racked up hundreds of thousands of views, with commenters willing to risk it all to get their hands on a pair.
But it isn't just the samba that shoppers are drawn too. It's silver in general. “Everyone is leaning into strappy metallic sandals,” Abba says. “Tom Ford, Jimmy Choo, and Christian Louboutin are the hottest right now.” And when it gets really hot, and you only want to wear a slip dress (or a sheer top with Adidas shorts), a metallic shoe will add an unexpected element to an otherwise expected look.
“Evidence of minimalism appeared in the runway trends for spring-summer and fall-winter ‘23, like early 90s simplicity and sheer styles, and in the items that are trending now on Italist, with subtler logo visibility and an emphasis on classical shapes and colours, like Prada’s 1995 bag and “stealth-wealth” brand Loro Piana, made famous for a new generation by Succession,” says Abba.
The current generation’s obsession with the ‘90s is no secret; it’s been a constant driver in trends for the past couple of seasons. And it isn’t hard to see why. The minimal looks of the era reflect a simplicity that feels almost entirely out of reach in a far more complex world of “unprecedented times.” Dressing like a sleek Angelina Jolie in a slinky slip dress won’t help us get back there; but it at least makes us feel like part of something that feels impossible to grasp otherwise.
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While every year, new summer trends are bound to emerge, there are also tried and true classics that are tried and true for a reason. Colourful dresses will never not be a vacation staple, because they are, essentially, the joyfulness of a vacation translated into a fabric.
"Zimmermann, Max Mara, and Solace London’s bright dresses are definitely the ones to have this summertime. They’re ultra-feminine, flowy, and perfect for any festival, party, or vacation getaway," Abba says.
When I spoke to Dion Lee about Rosalia’s concert looks for Motomami, which he designed, he said that the motorcycle look had a grip on the entire world. It appears that motomamis indeed are everywhere, including the runway.
“The other trend I love this year is biker-chic ready-to-wear, which appeared in collections from Dion Lee, Raf Simons, and Versace. Not only is it a timeless style rooted in Americana, it lends any wearer a little more high-fashion attitude,” Abba says.
“It’s been reimagined this season by the likes of Dsquared2 into denim, Rick Owens and Balmain into brightly-coloured leather, and Goosetech into a padded technical style. Pair with Moschino’s biker heart clutch or MISBHV’s monogram biker shorts, and keep it all on hand for years to come.”
“This season’s transparent and semi-sheer ready-to-wear appeared all over the runways, from Bottega Veneta to Rick Owens for Spring ‘23. We believe it’s a theme worth investing in because the style is more timeless than trendy,” Abba says.
While the look is obviously sexy because it’s sheer, the sexiest thing about it is how easy it is. “Think of semi-sheer as a good way to look polished and ethereal, light and breezy but still put together, most appropriate when the climatic conditions are right—meaning not too hot and not too cold,” Abba says. As for his favourite semi-sheer pieces available now? “Prada’s Spring ‘23 sheer dresses are silky perfection (and $2,000 less on Italist), as are Herno’s kelly green trench coat and Rotate’s Sianna crystalline trousers.”
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This article originally appeared in Harper’s BAZAAR US.