Sweater Dressing

FALL FASHION 2014 > Sweater Dressing

Despite the prominence of athletic-inspired getups in previous seasons, Fall 2014 is all about cozy sweater dressing. Knitwear has a bit of a stale connotation, often associated with stuffy sweater sets, but the design houses focused on the versatility of the well-loved weave.

Alexander Wang closed his third show for Balenciaga with close friend Gisele Bundchen in a grey bejewelled crewneck knit-silk sweater, one of the show’s several variations of the piece. Céline sent out matching ensembles of knitted tunic sweaters and flared leggings, perfect for an après ski cocktail or two. The modern sweater set of matching sweater and leggings was also seen in the Chanel supermarket-come-runway in dizzying orange stripes, versatile enough for almost any situation. Lagerfeld’s sparkly sculpted knitted sweater dresses showed knitwear does not mean baggy and shapeless and can be formal too. A longer sweater-meets-dress was seen elsewhere over the runway at Hussein Chalayan, Edun, Stella McCartney with each design house giving it their own spin on the roomy sweater dress.

Michael Kors, a lifelong supporter of everything knit, did oversized grandpa cardigans with a plunging neckline, making knitwear sexy again. Hermès and Anteprima also did long open front cardigans, a good substitute for a formal jacket on those early autumn nights out. Calvin Klein meanwhile took knitwear to the next level lacing together several knit panels for a sleek sheath dress, perfect for layering. Missoni stuck to their knitwear heritage and sent out vests and dresses in subdued tones in tightly knitted weaves, reinforcing the idea that sweater dressing is trendy in both senses of the term. And for those who can’t wear knits, have no fear—Chanel’s knit sunglasses or Rodarte’s appliqué bags are the itch-free way to get in on the trend.