Fashion Trends 2020

 

From Australian bushfires to a global pandemic that’s still taking hold, it’s been a massive year of change. Our lives moved even further online as people began working and learning from home and many industries, including fashion, suffered supply chain issues and closures.

Both London and New York Fashion Week’s went virtual with editors and influencers watching the latest collections from the safety and comfort of their own homes. Designers pivoted and Moschino’s creative director, Jeremy Scott, held a socially distanced puppet show for their Spring/ Summer 21 line.

The effects of the killing of George Floyd also rippled through the globe and as a result, the Black Lives Matter movement gained more support and attention than ever before. Fashion magazines such as Vogue and Harpers Bazaar spotlighted Black talent and designers such as Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty show cast more diverse models on runways. In Australia, we lifted up Indigenous voices, models and fashion brands and urged others to shop in their community. While this surge of support began this year, this isn’t just a trend and we should all continue our anti-racism work and spotlighting of Black creatives.

And although many of us spent the majority of this year indoors, away from parties, friends and holidays, the fashion world kept spinning. Trends were spotted over zoom calls and apps like TikTok took over and aesthetics such as Cottagecore and E-Girls and Guys emerged.

While we’re all looking forward to writing 2021 in our diaries, we thought we’d recap some of the most popular fashion trends of this year and what will still be trending next year.

Loungewear

The number one trend of 2020 has to be loungewear, right? In the US, sales in pyjamas and comfy clothes surged 143% in April compared to March. It was hard to be on Instagram without seeing aesthetic sweat sets and boutique pyjamas flooding the feed. As people spent more time at home than ever before, comfort was prioritised and high heels got put to the back of the cupboard.

In Australia, brands like Jasmine and Will, Maison Essentiele and Sleeping with Jacques proved that pyjamas can be chic while Bed Threads helped customers be cosy while also not harming the planet. While we’re sure cocktail dresses will be back on the agenda next year, expect the comfy loungewear trend to ripple through our wardrobes for years to come.

Victoria Beckham Pyjama

All Sustainable Everything

Promise we’re not tooting our own horn but the Guardian did say that rental platforms have been 2020’s “success story”. It seems that every year we’re learning more about the ways the fashion industry is harming the planet and consumers are looking for new ways to enjoy the fun of fashion (without filling up their fast fashion baskets). Another trend was the widespread demand for sustainable fashion lines. Buying small and locally also falls under this umbrella as our globalised world shut down due to the pandemic. While we hope this mindful move in the fashion industry isn’t a trend, beware of fast fashion labels greenwashing their collections to keep consumers on their side.

baum und pferdgarten

Tie Dye

2020 has been the year of nostalgia. Wishing for a time before social distancing can do that to a person and this explains our obsession with tie-dye pieces this year. Usually associated with the social revolutions of the ’60s and ’70s, the colourful dyeing technique has come back in a big way and has been spotted in matching loungewear sets (complete with mask of course) and on runways such as Dior and Chanel. With both the teenage and luxury market buying into the style, it seems the trend may be around for another few months. Whether or not it works for you is another argument. It seems you either like it or you don’t.

Tie dye fashion trend

Puffy Sleeves

In another throwback moment, puffy sleeves were all the rage in 2020 for Autumn/ Winter collections. Borrowing inspiration from our Mums in the 1980’s, the puffy sleeve style is a princess moment that can be worn up or down. It’s gotten its own modern update (taking out the shoulder pads) and with people escaping to the country and spending Christmas time on zoom calls, wearing a dramatic, puffed sleeve is sure to make you feel put together without all of the frills and accessories. Will this continue into 2021?

Cecilie Bahensen

©JasmineWallis