With the recent conclusions of the New York and Paris Fashion Weeks, Spring/Summer 2023 collections have been showcased by many, many designers. It can be a lot to take in, so this is a curated and concise list to show you some notable ss23 lines. The idea behind this article is to not only provide a guide to these collections, but to also, of course, provide some social commentary. Sadie, who cares too much, will share her opinions and Harrison, who cares a lot less, will share his. 

Coperni

Sadie: We’re starting off with Coperni, a show you’ve probably definitely seen on social media because of Bella Hadid’s spray-on dress. I think I would classify this as the most notable show from Paris Fashion Week, just because of all of the coverage about it. I personally appreciate the ode to Alexander McQueen’s 1999 show. However, I was curious to see what the rest of the line looked like, assuming it would perhaps follow a theme along the lines of formation and construction. Upon further research, I was disappointed with the rest of the line. While the event brought one aspect of iconism, the rest was very much off the rack, and there is nothing I hate more than a line that lacks focus. 

Harrison: The spray on dress is iconic. Frankly, it was emotional. It was a journey. It was provocative. Not only was this creative and advanced (How does someone even spray on a dress?!), but it was also a moment in history that will never be forgotten. Unlike some fashion trends that try to be avant garde, this was perfect. I would agree with Sadie that the rest of the collection lacked creativity—especially when compared to the spray.

Alaïa

Sadie: Alaïa blew me away with this show. There were so many different looks, expanding beyond the ones presented above, and they were all good in their own way. I can really see the purpose behind each piece, and upon further research, I was right. New creative director Pieter Mulier drew on the foundations of the brand for this show. Femininity and the female body, as well as the “no rules” principle of couture is expressed through baroque pearls and unconventional yet flattering silhouettes. I love this line.

Harrison: A flawless way to go avant garde yet maintain flattery. By using relatively simple pieces but also throwing in an untraditional garment somewhere on the body, the designer has managed to create a line that is both appealing and creative.

Givenchy

Sadie: Although I was not expecting this from Givenchy, I actually like it. I like that they went for full streetwear, and the classic simplicity and clear cut lines with sporadic embellishments does appeal to me. However, this line is something we’ve definitely seen before from many brands and I would love to see Givenchy touch more on its roots as a fashion house. Overall, it’s ok.

Harrison: The execution was flawless, and the ideas were there. While it is a relatively simple collection based around simple concepts, I think that everything was pulled together in a very cohesive way. I like the traditional business look—but with a slight twist. Ultimately, I like this collection, but it is just not the most interesting and I feel nothing.

Schiaparelli 

Sadie: I love Schiaparelli because you can always expect something amazing. They’re consistent in their motifs and designs, and it is gorgeous every time. These clothes are art. I personally love it because it is reminiscent of pulp art style work, which I love. 

Harrison: This was the color pop that we all needed. It is classy, yet it is new money. Everything is flattering. Gold looks can often go wrong and look trashy, yet this has been perfectly executed. These gold highlights are everything. This is my favorite collection so far.

Off-White

Sadie: Off White’s celebration ceremony is dear to me. Held in celebration of Virgil Abloh and his unfortunate recent passing, I have no choice but to love it. In addition, motifs of the female reproductive system are present in an ode to his activism around abortion, and 100% of the proceeds from the collection are going to Planned Parenthood. I really adore it and the new era it signifies for the brand.

Harrison: I love the message and the goal. However, some of the pieces are unbearable because they look like Iron Man if he was in his Picasso Blue Period, such as the second picture. Nevertheless, many of the pieces have greatly executed symbolism for female empowerment and deserve praise for that. I think it could have been more provocative and more out there, so I give it a mid-range score.

Loewe

Sadie: Loewe always brings something unique to the table, creating clothing out of inanimate objects. I love the idea behind the brand and a lot of their work, and the show was amazing. However, I do not like the clothes presented here, such that I would not wear them myself.

Harrison: Since when were we in Minecraft? I think this collection tried to be avant garde but failed. Unlike many other collections in this article, I think that the ideas were good, but the execution was poor. The grass ones look like generic stock photos I could find on the internet and induce no emotions. 

Vivienne Westwood

Sadie: Vivienne Westwood is one of my favorite fashion brands. This was not my favorite show by any means because of the all over the place assembly of looks, but there were some notable ones that I loved.

Harrison: This show has some of the best pieces that I have seen. They are classy and old money yet provocative and empowering. However, some of the pieces appear to be throwing garments on top of garments and calling it a day. Furthermore, some of them just look incomplete (Why is that grown man wearing a diaper?). Overall, I think that this collection could have been a lot more cohesive. Had it stuck to the design of its top pieces, it would certainly be one of the best ones here. 

Simone Rocha

Sadie: I love Simone Rocha and I love this collection. This show is such a good example of contemporary takes on the past. Plus, if you know me, you know I love tulle, buckles, and a blush color palette.

Harrison: It looks like a wedding on a foreign planet that we do not want to visit. It looks like a young couple that met each other in Las Vegas and got married on the same night and probably live out of a van and have a lot of dogs. Amidst all the action, why is there a man returning from war walking down the aisle (the guy in all green)? I want to give it a low score, but there is just something about it. I want to keep looking at it. It is a little creepy. I am not exactly sure how I feel.

Chanel

Sadie: This collection by Chanel was very Chanel. With that, there are always some hem-lines a little too long and pieces a little ill-fitting. But there is also perfection among it, as some pieces are so good that the rest don’t matter. I find this to be true with most Chanel collections. I hated the belt motif, pictured above, but I loved the knee high socks motif and, as a very honorable mention, this look to the left.

Harrison: I like some of the pieces, but I think it is overall kind of boring and stuff that we have all seen before.

Miu Miu

Sadie: I really like this collection. They always hit ready-to-wear on the mark.

Harrison:  This collection is good. I am not exactly sure about the flip flop boots, but I think it fits the style they are going for. Each look is very cohesive. 

Yeezy

.   

Sadie: This show, predictably, caused much controversy, as I’m sure you’ve seen if you follow Kanye West on instagram. Yeezy season 9 came out as a surprise show in Paris Fashion Week followed by backlash for the controversial printed sweatshirts pictured above, followed by retaliation by Kanye. There is no telling what goes on inside of his mind, clearly. At first I thought this could be deeper social commentary, but the presence of Candace Owens makes me think otherwise. I really have no idea about the intentions behind this, but I hate it. Not only is the controversy a problem, but the collection is boring. 

Harrison: I completely agree with Sadie on this one, and I don’t think anything else needs to be said.

—

Overall, there aren’t many distinctive trends that we saw to show up in multiple collections. Instead, the designers seemed to stay true to the images of their own brands, giving us a variety of different styles, which I (Sadie) love in my quest to obliterate trends completely in the face of self expression. Now, here are our favorite collection picks:

Harrison: Schiaparelli

Sadie: Alaïa

Je pense, donc je suis.