Every Major Trend to Know From Paris Fashion Week

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(Image credit: Chanel; Valentino; Loewe; Christian Dior)

Yet again, Paris stunned with a packed roster of runway shows and presentations as the final stop of fashion month's tour across the globe. After a season of talked-about collections in New York, London, and Milan, designers debuted their latest runway shows with some seriously showstopping moments. A spray-on dress was made on Bella Hadid in real time on the Coperni runway, The Row showed us the true meaning of minimal luxury, and Saint Laurent brought out A-list celebs, including Hailey Bieber and Zoë Kravitz, for a show set in front of the Eiffel Tower.

In between the viral moments were stunning runway looks—so impactful that we will continue to think about them at length. With fashion-insider favorites such as Miu Miu, Loewe, and Chanel on the fashion-week calendar, PFW guaranteed some of the buzziest trends of fashion month. After studying the runways, we've zeroed in on the seven trends that will have the biggest impact in spring 2023, including everything from the new take on grunge to updates on suiting and more. Pencil these down because they are set to be huge next year.

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(Image credit: Stella McCartney; Miu Miu; Valentino; The Row; Co)

On the street style scene throughout fashion month, we saw a return to pared-back looks reminiscent of the '90s—a signal that women are interested in simplifying their looks and returning to streamlined staples. Fashion designers are aligned, showcasing sleek takes on basics, including black minidresses and sunglasses that are a nod to the minimal style of the decade. It's especially noteworthy because we've seen a rise in '90s fashion over the last year, but it's full steam ahead into 2023.

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(Image credit: Sacai; Chanel; Valentino; ACNE Studios; Valentino)

Low-waisted silhouettes have been gaining traction over the last several seasons, but it's been predominantly in the categories of pants and jeans. For spring/summer 2023, however, skirts are the piece that will see their waistlines lowered. At Valentino, long low-waisted skirts were paired with second-skin tank tops for a cool take on eveningwear, and Chanel put a twist on its classic tweed skirt suits, this time with a low skirt to show a bare midriff.

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(Image credit: Chanel; Christian Dior; Burberry; Givenchy; Victoria Beckham)

Grunge fashion is one of the defining trends for fall 2022, and that will continue into spring 2023 in a major way. This time around, the looks feel less overtly angsty. At Chanel, choker necklaces and black lipstick are offset by bow earrings and a pearl-embellished maxi slip dress, and at Givenchy, ripped denim shorts are paired with a delicate ruffled chiffon top and a tweed jacket—the ultimate counterbalance of grunge pieces with "pretty" dressier items. While this trend may be gaining traction on the runways for spring/summer 2023, we've already seen this play out on the red carpets, including the 2022 Met Gala where goth glam emerged as a micro-trend to know.

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(Image credit: Thom Browne; Valentino; Loewe; Comme des Garçons)

It comes as no surprise that Paris is the place where we see some of the big fashion houses experiment with couture-level craftsmanship and conceptual designs that push the limits. Loewe was an ode to the anthurium, showcasing dresses with larger-than-life flowers affixed to the torso—yet another take on proportion play from Jonathan Anderson. At Thom Browne, we witnessed equally enthralling levels of experimentation with mixed printed and intricate draping. This is an area to have fun and ignore fashion rules.

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(Image credit: Anna October; Loewe; The Row; Rokh; Valentino)

Designers in Paris made pared-back silhouettes beautiful, especially when it comes to dresses. Standout styles include tube silhouettes and dramatic gowns with delicate floss straps—simplicity at its best. The Row always shines in this department but continues to prove its mastery of textiles and details that make the brand's uncomplicated designs stand apart.

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(Image credit: Loewe; Chanel; ACNE Studios; Christian Dior; Burberry)

We named "pretty things" as one of the noteworthy trends for fall/winter 2022, and it appears that the trend is just getting started. Shimmering pink satin, bow-adorned socks, lace bralettes, and ruffled piping are just a few ways we'll be seeing this play out for spring 2023. The standout detail to know, however, are the rosettes that emerged as a micro-trend this season.

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(Image credit: Lanvin; Miu Miu; Co; A.W.A.K.E. Mode; The Row)

Tailoring continues to get tweaked each season. In seasons past, we've seen the major influence of menswear come into play with oversize silhouettes and boxy blazers, but the spring/summer 2023 collections included pieces with rounded shoulders, creamy beige, and soft-to-the-touch fabrics that will usher in an updated take on suiting for 2023.

Next: The Key Trends to Know From Milan Fashion Week

Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.