From androgyny to kinkcore: six emerging fashion trends to watch for 2024
If there was a Spotify Wrapped for 2023 in fashion, Barbiecore would surely hit the top spot, with quiet luxury and Noughties style making the top five too. But now that we’re heading into the New Year, what’s in store for 2024? We asked fashion experts to predict the clothing and accessories trends that will dominate in the coming year…
1. Unisex style
‘Boyfriend’ jeans, sweaters and blazers for women have been around for a while now, but increasingly brands are choosing to forgo gender labels in favour of unisex designs.
Keisha Buchanan from the Sugababes attending the Brit Awards 2023 (Ian West/PA)
According to research by B2B fashion platform Joor, the global unisex category has grown by 46% this year.
“We certainly foresee this trend continuing into 2024,” says the platform’s senior vice president of marketing, Amanda McCormick Bacal.
“We’ve seen a vast number of androgynous styles on the luxury fashion runways, marked by non-gendered designs including tailored pieces like shirting and oversized suits.”
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Similarly, more men are carrying the kind of bags traditionally seen as women’s, which begs the question: was Friends’ Joey Tribbiani ahead of the curve with his ‘man bag’?
“Unisex accessories including handbags have seen an increase, expanding by 69% in transaction volume compared to 2022 [according to their research],” McCormick Bacal says.
“These fresh approaches to fashion reflect effortlessly cool and yet sophisticated styling and we anticipate seeing innovative interpretations of the unisex trend in collections to come.”
2. Footie fashion
Sport and style have always been closely linked, and now football fever is taking over the fashion world.
“Harking back to the retro shoe trend, sneakers popularised by football fan culture were staples of this year, with terrace classics such as Adidas Gazelles and Sambas seeing big uplifts,” says Gareth Olyott, chief of staff at footwear marketplace Laced.
He also highlights Nike enlisting streetwear favourite Martine Rose for a shoe range that “combines football and contemporary fashion with distinctive colourways drawn from goalkeeper jerseys and columns lifted into the heel”, and Adidas collaborating with British designer Grace Wales Bonner on a line of Sambas.
Martine Rose for Nike
“This blending of retro terrace culture and football footwear will continue next year, as buyers look for both style and comfort,” says Olyott.
“With Sambas already extremely popular, the football boot style breaking into high fashion, and Adidas capitalising on this trend, it’s clear Wales Bonner will be a style to watch.”
Wales Bonner for Adidas at Laced (PA)
3. Rebellious femininity
Hot on the heels of Barbiecore, trendsetters are embracing a new kind of ultra-feminine fashion.
“This trend is all about letting the feminine side of you break free from its pink fluffy cage,” says Megan Watkins, head stylist at online fashion brand SilkFred.
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“Think oversized floral patterns, items made of organza or taffeta and novelty handbags in heart shapes – the cutesier, the better.”
Inspired by celeb-favourite fashion designers like Nensi Dojaka and Richard Quinn, this exaggerated aesthetic is, “Feminine in an ironic but super fashion-forward way”, Watkins explains.
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“You can try out this trend by investing in some cute accessories – like oversized hair bows or floral-inspired earrings. This trend is all about creating soft lines – so stay away from structured blazers and hardware style jewellery.”
Silk Fred (PA)
4. Logoless luxury
After the return of logomania a few seasons back, it was only a matter of time before the pendulum swung in the other direction.
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“Popularised by social media and driven by a shift away from streetwear logo-centricity, this trend represents a movement towards wardrobe investment pieces,” says McCormick Bacal.
“Not only have online searches for ‘quiet luxury’ and ‘old money style’ increased exponentially this year, but our data confirms that the trend is growing.”
She predicts “elevated simplicity” will be the buzzwords of 2024, meaning: “Rich, luxurious fabrics like wool and cashmere envelope coats, blazers, and suiting that pair with logoless-yet-very-much-identifiable luxury accessories in staple neutral leather.”
Radley (PA)
5. Peach power
The experts at trend forecasting company Pantone have declared Peach Fuzz as its Colour of the Year 2024.
Pantone's Peach Fuzz
“This soft, muted shade, reminiscent of the velvety surface of a peach has a warm undertone,” says Cliff Bashforth, managing director of Colour Me Beautiful Europe, meaning it particularly suits people who have warm undertones to their skin.
Omnes (PA)
“Just imagine a lightweight, flowing dress, a casual top, knitwear, or just a chic accessory in Peach Fuzz as an addition to your spring wardrobe.”
6. Kinkcore
Avant-garde fashion fans such as The Crown actor Emma Corrin and YouTube star Emma Chamberlain made ‘knickers on the red carpet’ the surprise trend of 2023.
“In 2024 this will go one step further as celebs and influencers will start experimenting with fetishwear and kink-inspired clothing,” Watkins predicts.
“We’ve seen glimpses of this trend in the past month – see Bebe Rexha’s BDSM-inspired leather dress, complete with bum cut-outs and tail. Think outfits in latex, leather and vinyl with corset details and exaggerated feminine silhouettes.”
Bebe Rexha attending the MTV Video Music Awards 2023 (Doug Peters/PA)
While the kinkcore trend lends itself to red carpet dressing, you can tone it down for everyday wear.
Watkins says: “If you’re not quite ready to go all-the-way with fetishwear, you can add in subtle nods to the trend by elevating wardrobe staples, such as crocodile-effect leather boots or a corset inspired LBD.”
