Paris Fashion Week: Fall 2014’s top developing trends

Hot Fuzz It seems as though there hasn’t been a single designer who hasn’t shown fur (real or faux) on the runway. It was looking like the shearling would be the coat of the season, but leopard prints are also gaining ground. Both Chloé and Céline showed calf-grazing versions. Leopard is going to be big news in footwear too. Tabitha Simmons is working with it for the first time and splashed the spots across heels, booties and flats.

Red Designers are seeing red. Whether it was a full monochromatic look like the fur jacket and wide leg pant at Akris, a big block courtesy of an asymmetrically cut skirt at Dior or a shot of colour from a carefully placed panel at Givenchy, scarlet is shaping up to be one if the most important shades.

Optic Prints Moving away from hyper real photo prints, designers are playing with modified graphic arts. Kenzo is leading the pack with colourful clashing prints, but Acne also debuted psychedelic swirls and Chloé printed black and white waves on skirts and dresses.

Sweater Dressing This isn’t as simple as pulling on a sweater. Marc Jacobs kicked off the trend in New York, but it’s traveled across the Atlantic too. Phoebe Philo‘s head to toe knit looks complete with tunic and pants were as cozy as it gets at Céline. Kenzo did an embellished version with a swingy skirt and several designers including Balenciaga and Viktor & Rolf have riffed on the classic cable in new ways.

Fringe I was obsessed with Gucci’s flyaway fringe bags for spring, but it looks like I’ll have a lot more to love come fall. At the Lanvin re-see, I spied long panels of thin strings hanging from colour blocked dresses and elbow length gloves. A day earlier, Roland Mouret cut leather strips on dresses to dance between models’ legs as they walked. Andrew Gn coated gown bodices with strands of beads that swung like fringe. Not to mention all of the feathery effects too (Céline’s coats were particularly stunning). And the shoe showrooms are full of fringe too. Aquazzura‘s Texas-inspired styles and Alexandre Birman‘s veiled heels were standouts.