We're only halfway through 2023, and it's already shaping up to be a very fashionable year. From January's Samba season to February fashion month, April's quiet luxury to May's Met Gala, there's been a lot to talk about in the last few months, and the fresh batch of street style pictures, runway trends, and social media snaps have given us plenty to pour over when searching for the next big thing.
Yes, there are hundreds of outfits to scroll through, and as inspiring as it is, it can also be overwhelming. We don't, however, expect you to use your time searching through the comment section trying to identify which jeans your favourite influencer is actually wearing. That is precisely why we use our expertise to bring you concise edits of the biggest trends currently surfacing as well as the key items fashion editors, stylists, writers, buyers and influencers are actually choosing to buy and wear themselves for the season ahead and beyond.
This year, there are certain brands and cult pieces that are already clear front-runners in the race to be 2023's hottest items, and I'm happy to say that they're wise investment pieces rather than flash-in-the-pan trends. From Loewe's popular tank in a new fit to the Margiela ballet pumps that you can spot a mile off, we've rounded up 14 of the best designer pieces that deserve a spot in your wardrobe now and forever. Keep scrolling to see the viral pieces reaching cult status this year so far. There's something on the list for everyone.
1. MAISON MARGIELA TABI BALLET FLATS
Style Notes: Love them or loathe them, it's impossible to ignore them, and Maison Margiela's Tabi split-toe design is everywhere right now in ballet-flats format. It's perfect timing, as ballet pumps are currently the most popular shoes to wear with jeans, dresses, leggings…
2. RAEY DRAWSTRING TROUSERS
Style Notes: Take 2023's cargo trousers, reinvent them in luxe cotton and add the polished details that only Raey can deliver. Presto, you've got an influencer-approved pair of trousers that are perfect for warm weather with a tank top and cooler days with a cosy knit.
3. THE ROW HALF MOON BAG
Style Notes: We could almost do an entire story on The Row alone, as its timeless take on minimal design has such wide appeal, but we'll start with an iconic bag so good it returns year after year. The Half Moon Bag is back in new colours and fully restocked, so if you're looking for an instantly recognisable everyday bag, you just found it.
4. LOEWE RAFFIA TOTE
Style Notes: And speaking of iconic bags, Loewe's raffia bags are now so infamous they've inspired a whole host of copycats, but the latest tote is unmistakably Loewe and has already managed to sell out since it first landed.
5. CITIZENS OF HUMANITY AYLA JEANS
Style Notes: Whenever a pair of jeans gets nothing but good reviews, we take notice, and Citizens of Humanity's Ayla jeans are the most discussed pair since the Agolde Pinch. Baggy, distressed and usually spotted with a pair of Birkenstock clogs, these are undoubtedly the It jeans of 2023, and it's more than likely they've cropped up in your feed dozens of times in the last month (even if you didn't know it).
6. JACQUEMUS LE BAMBINO LONG BAG
Style Notes: It's been a good year for Jacquemus. From a beautiful raffia-strewn runway to a pop-up store opening in Lake Como, the brand is enjoying some well-deserved buzz after attention from some very big celebrity fans (hello, Pamela Anderson), and now, we have a new bag too. Forget that teeny-tiny bag—Le Bambino is back and bigger than ever, quite literally.
7. KHAITE JERICHO TOP
Style Notes: Khaite has garnered a reputation for making knitwear cool again (think Katie Holmes's bradigan moment), and the strapless Jericho bustier has us reaching for ribbed knits, even in summer.
8. CHANEL LOGO SANDALS
Style Notes: Chanel accessories never fall out of favour, but if there's one style that the fashion set wear on repeat, it has to be the brand's chunky sandals. Classic black, logo white or printed denim—every season, they are reinvented for loyal fans and quickly become the most popular shoes of summer year after year.
9. GUCCI JACKIE BAG
Style Notes: Harry Styles, Cate Blanchett, Dua Lipa, Dakota Johnson—we've lost count of the number of celebs we've seen with the Jackie bag on their arm since the rerelease of the 1961 original, and now, there are multiple colours, prints and embellishments to choose from to keep us coming back for more.
10. TOTEME MONOGRAM PYJAMA TOP AND TROUSERS
Style Notes: Toteme is no stranger to viral moments. Remember the scarf-jacket we loved last autumn and the year before? Well, the brand's summer staple is the monogram PJ print, and you will have seen the shirt and shorts on just about every influencer and editor last summer. We're preparing to get reacquainted with the chic set in 2023.
11. DRAGON DIFFUSION BASKET BAG
Style Notes: It's almost unfair to call summer "sandal season," as warm weather equally calls for another style staple—the basket bag. As soon as the sun's out, we reach for linen, sandals, and this beachy accessory, but Dragon Diffusion's leather baskets have elevated the bag into luxe territory. Expect to see these on your commute, on the beach, in the supermarket… well, just about everywhere.
12. A.EMERY SANDALS
Style Notes: Those with a keen eye will have spotted A.Emery on the feet of some of fashion best dressed, but for many, it's still an under-the-radar brand. Created in 2017 after the quest to find the perfect pair of minimal sandals, the brand's understated designs have a stylish fanbase that includes Alexa Chung, Brittany Bathgate and Tylynn Nguyen.
13. REFORMATION SELIA LINEN DRESS
Style Notes: It's almost impossible to choose one piece from the Reformation site that isn't already all over Instagram, but if we had to bet on which would be huge this year, the Selia dress is a good place to start. The shade of avocado green, the linen fabric and the maxi hemline tick all of summer's biggest trends at once, so this is guaranteed to be a surefire hit.
14. LOEWE CROPPED ANAGRAM TANK TOP
Style Notes: Here's the second entry from Loewe ready-to-wear good enough to rival its raffia tote bags. The best-selling logo tank top was a social media smash hit last year, and it's now available as a cropped version in white, black and grey. We're taking tips from Hannah Lewis and wearing this top with its natural pairing, the supersized denim maxi skirt.
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