As we bid adieu to 2023, step into the fashion time machine, a year that sashayed onto the style stage with audacious flair. Picture risque-filled ensembles and faux taxidermy lion heads—a sartorial journey that unfolded under the baton of new creative directors like Louis Vuitton‘s menswear maestro Pharell Williams and Gucci’s virtuoso Sabato De Sarno.
Cue the entrance of Phoebe Philo, orchestrating a debut collection that harmonised elegance with edge. Amidst the costume and burlesque revelry, 2023 birthed controversial trends that dared the norm, with Miu Miu sparking a no-pant revolution and Kylie Jenner’s label KHY carving its chic niche.
Here are the top 16 moments from this glitzy masquerade that waltzed into fashion history.
1. Hunter Schafer wearing Ann Demeulemeester feather top
The talk of the Oscars, Euphoria Star Hunter Schafer, wore a barely-there feather top and a champagne-toned skirt.
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She did not attend the formal ceremony, but she did attend the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, where she wore an ethereal fall/winter 2023 look by Ann Demeulemeester, which is unquestionably the designer’s first red carpet hit.
2. Rich the Kid in MSCHF’s Astro Boy boots
MSCHF, true to their brand, rightfully shattered the internet with this creation. The American Art Collective designed Astro Boy’s striking red shoes, drawing inspiration from a Japanese science-fiction manga series. But as is always the case with screen fashion critics, the internet went bonkers, offering unrelenting praise and criticism.
Numerous well-known people and style icons donned the contemporary equivalent of Dorothy boots. Among them are Sarah Snyder (the face of the brand’s campaign), Diplo, Wisdom Kaye, Iggy Azalea, Ciara, Doja Cat, Lil Nas X and Janelle Monáe, who personalised hers with a cloud print.
3. Kylie Jenner wearing the Maison Margiela Tabi shoes
There is no middle ground here; you are either a lover like the cleave in the shoe or a hater of Maison Margiela‘s Tabi shoe (I know, a strong choice of words).
Despite being one of the most divisive fashion pieces of the year, the fashionistas have stuck to their guns. As a result, the company produced several variations of the split-toe shoe in styles such as sneakers, boots, ballet flats, Mary Janes, loafers, and more.
Who could overlook the Tabi Swiper? Did they steal it out of love for it or something else entirely? All we know is that celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Dua Lipa, Hunter Schafer, Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B, and Nick Jonas love it.
4. Taylor Russell in the Loewe Metal Jacket
Taylor Russell is a rising fashion it-girl, if not already one. The actress never ceases to astound us with her fashion choices, whether it comes from red-carpet premieres or runway shows.
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The Loewe muse showed up for the Loewe Spring/Summer 2024 runway show wearing a strapless black bodysuit and what appeared to be an incredibly stiff silver coat. But upon closer inspection—a second or third glance, perhaps—it became clear that the coat was made of pewter metal—yes, metal.
Wearing this classic Loewe menswear jacket would be my choice if I were one of King Arthur’s knights.
5. Doja Cat bedazzled in Swarovski’s crimson crystals
An eclectic and experimental fashion choice—Doja Cat dropped by Paris Fashion Week wearing a red gown from the fashion house with a beaded skirt.
The singer was covered in more than 30,000 hand-applied Swarovski crystals after spending 58 hours sitting with the Pac McGrath team. Like every other showgoer, we have all been equally astounded or surprised by this fashion statement that received a tonne of shade, innumerable memes, and admiration for her dedication.
6. Sam Smith in Harri KS inflated latex pants
Sam Smith wore an inflatable black latex outfit to the Brit Awards. Harri KS, an Indian designer based in London (full name: Harikrishnan Keezhathil Surendran Pillai), created the singer’s look in just four days.
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It featured a broad silhouette with puffed pectorals, inflated peaked shoulders, and legs that ballooned so wide they resembled two love hearts. The look was met with criticism on the internet, which produced colourful memes and descriptions of it.
However, Smith’s choice of clothing was exactly what the internet predicted, if one may use a reverse trolling card.
7. Irina Shayk prowling in Schiaparelli’s faux lion-head dress
Irina Shyak‘s lion-head dresses provoked controversy even though they were faux; some said they glorified big game hunting.
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To our surprise, as well as Kylie Jenner’s, who was seated in the front row, we watched the top model begin the show wearing the same dress. They appear to have divided many online commenters who mistake the fake heads for real taxidermy because of their realism. Dante’s Inferno inspired the entire collection with its references to lions, she-wolves, and leopards.
8. Emma Corrin sporting Miu Miu’s gold sequined knickers
Emma Corrin took a bold risk that paid off and attracted attention. It turns out that the no-pant trend is extremely fashionable.
A bold orange peep-toe heel, a black boxy bag, a mode-beige rolled turtleneck sweater, and a glitzy sequined brief over sheer black tights completed Corrin’s ensemble. Miu Miu blends a maverick and carefree soul with a sophisticated yet raw elegance that is naïf. The emphasis on fun and youthful energy that Miu Miu places on its designs is one of its unique selling points.
9. Lil Nas X in Swarovski crystals and a metallic Dior thong
This year’s Met Gala had Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty as its theme, and Lil Nas X delivered. As befitting the most renowned night in fashion, it was Lil Nas X and Pat McGrath’s first collaborative effort. The rapper’s distinctive sense of style has earned him a reputation for pushing boundaries.
His entire body was spray-painted silver and embellished with 2,18,784 round flatback Swarovski crystals and white pearls—a Niffler’s dream. He was wearing a silver thong and a face mask covered in foliage and pearls, a latticework reminiscent of Mardi Gras.
10. Kendall Jenner wearing Schiaparelli’s red lacquer fingernails
We have heard of the French manicure and the glazed doughnut nail trend, but Schiaparelli’s SS24 collection had us nipping at our nails.
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Kendall Jenner closed the show in a silhouette-enhancing strapless dress, fully adorned with crimson-red lacquered acrylic and almond-shaped fingernails. This outfit perfectly embodied Schiaparelli’s surrealistic approach to fashion, for which the designer is well-known, acclaimed, you name it. Her brunette locks were teased all over by Guido Palau, the favourite hair sculptor in high fashion.
11. Kim Kardashian with the Balenciaga x Erewhon bag
Kim Kardashian made the ultimate fashion statement and attended the Los Angeles pre-fall 2024 Balenciaga show.
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She wore an athleisure-inspired outfit with a black hoodie, a nude turtleneck, and lace-printed leggings by the brand. Kardashian also included big-sized shield-style sunglasses topped off with a wet hair look. She brought a bag, like most of the guests, albeit a brown paper grocery bag made in collaboration with the upscale supermarket and fashion brand Balenciaga x Erewhon.
This unorthodox approach adheres to the essence of Balenciaga. Before this, the company had faced a great deal of ethical criticism and scrutiny. Notwithstanding the charges, the company is presently attempting to reinvent itself by prioritising quality over eccentricity.
12. Rihanna with Louis Vuitton’s Million Dollar Bag
Neither the official Louis Vuitton website nor regular Louis Vuitton stores carry the Pharrell Williams-designed Louis Vuitton Millionaire Speedy bag, which is carried by Fenty Beauty founder Rihanna.
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Is it any surprise that it is dubbed the Millionnaire Bag? The $1 million price tag is not up for grabs up front in stores but rather is offered discreetly to the world’s elite. The bag is a symbol of utmost luxury as it is made from premium crocodile leather and comes in five vibrant colours. The design features the iconic Louis Vuitton monogram and is embellished with gold hardware and diamond pendants, which justifies its high price tag.
13. Rolling around Christian Cowan’s Giant Furball
Paris Fashion Week arrived like a wrecking ball.
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The day was saved by Sam Smith at the Christian Cowan Spring 2024 runway show. We’ve all seen the video of the model stumbling into Sam Smith while he was performing and centred on the runway. The ensemble, if one may, quite resembles the soot balls from Spirited Away, and as a Studio Ghibli fan, I could not be happier to see it off the screen.
14. Hunter Schafer in the Schiaparelli Mosaic dress
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Daniel Roseberry, Schiaparelli’s daring creative director, and Schafer’s surrealist tour de force are a match made in heaven.
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Model and actress Hunter Schafer debuted in Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2024 collection to promote her most recent film, The Hunger Games. The Euphoria Star wore an enchanting multicoloured stretch puzzle dress crocheted from irregular hand-painted elements, embellished with rhinestones to create a trompe-l’œil effect of a woman’s body.
15. Emma Stone wearing Louis Vuitton’s Illusion Boots
Since 2017, Emma Stone has served as the French luxury company’s brand ambassador. For Vuitton’s Fall ’23 campaign, the actress wore black stiletto pumps and high-ankle socks; however, it appears that she was wearing the whimsical illusion ankle boots from Nicholas Ghesquiere’s latest collection.
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The pair featured a trompe-l’oeil construction with a black leather base resembling a classic pointed-toe pump, while its shafts were cast in peachy nude-toned leather and finished with ribbed details and the LV Initials.
16. Undercover Lab’s Terrarium Ball Gowns
In sharp contrast to the majority of wearable items from the shows at Paris Fashion Week, Jun Takahashi, the designer and creative director of Undercover, displayed enchantingly beautiful wearable art during his showcase.
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In the final moments of the show, rather than what most people assumed it was going to be, three celestial models emerged wearing transparent skirts that functioned as terrariums, embellished with real flowers, and fluttering vibrant live butterflies.
It almost looked like something Tinkerbelle would wear, and it perfectly captured the whimsicality of this botanical grandeur. Wearing a light-up dress as an adult is the next best thing to wanting or having light-up shoes as a child.
Also read, 10 Of The Boldest Beauty Looks Celebrities Served In 2023
