Racers, cows and Balenciagamania: Street styles from Milan and Paris

The fashion weeks of the SS23 season are behind us. However, as is well known, the trends can not only be found on the catwalks, but also on the streets. The looks can be calm and classic, but also really wild like in the cowshed. FashionUnited has summarized what was pulled out of the streetwear cauldron during the fashion weeks in Milan and Paris.

Balenciagamania

Balenciaga is a hot topic on the runway every season with his staging on the catwalk and the approach to design: a wild mix of controversy and kitsch squeezed into a mixture of streetwear and high fashion by creative director Demna Gvasalia.

Fans not only dig into the French fashion house's pieces - sunglasses and bags with prints like the Eiffel Tower are popular - but also the aesthetic, which sits somewhere between rave culture and sportswear. This is crowned with pop culture elements and a pinch of ugly chic. The Hello Kitty fan meets Barbie Overload look meets outfits that could have come straight from a pop-punk music video from the 2010s.

A movement that naturally stands out between elegant looks with long dresses and suits.

Racers

The race driver looks also gains momentum. In pole position is the racing jacket, which uses the colors of the respective racing team and at the same time becomes a billboard for the many sponsors who adorn the jackets as photos or prints. A fashionable cover is supplied by the fashion house Prada, among others, which is active as an outfitter for various sports such as sailing and extreme sports and whose logo also adorns such jackets.

Unlike on the racetrack, fashion for the racing theme offers significantly more scope and so a jersey with racing stripes can become a dress with cut-outs, which of course also promote the dynamic of the look.

Witch Dance and the Modern Middle Ages

Not only happy, playful looks were shown on the streets of Paris and Milan. A dark veil swept through the streets. A touch of gothic romance paired with a classic image of European witches. The black outfits brought back the Middle Ages with a twist through modern fabrics and combinations.

A coarsely knitted top in combination with a hood and an iron belt are reminiscent of a modern form of knight's armor, which becomes a cool look with sunglasses. But a look of light-colored corsets with bows in combination with a dark, flared maxi skirt also fits in this direction. A dark hat, under the brim of which part of the face disappears, which is combined with a dark, closed coat, creates a much more reserved, but still similarly gloomy aura.

Matrix coats

It stays dark: A long black leather coat takes center stage this season. Since the first Matrix film came out in the late 90s, the dark leather coat has had a strong appeal that is currently being used by women who wear it.

The rest of the outfit becomes almost irrelevant and in most cases is quite reserved. A black turtleneck or a light blouse under the coat round off the look in a simple way. But actually almost everything can be worn or hidden under a black leather coat.

Cow spots

We stick to the leather, or rather its origin: the cow. The mammal's spots were a popular pattern on the streets of Paris and Milan. But it didn't necessarily have to be real leather, jackets made of animal-friendly, vegan leather look and plush coats were also on display. The spots also vary in looks between different shades of brown and black, just like real cows.

Since the cow patch jacket is a real eye-catcher, the look can be rounded off with simple jeans and a turtleneck sweater that matches the color of the pattern.

Casual tie

During the women's fashion weeks, the focus was also on the street, especially on the womenswear looks. Of course men were also present. So that they don't feel like they're stepping on their toes, the last trend is dedicated to them, which appropriately focuses on the very formal accessory.

This season, the tie has been recontextualized not only in womenswear – as part of the Y2K trend, the return of the rocking schoolgirl ala Avril Lavign with a loose tie knot over a simple top – but also in menswear. Here the tie remains pulled up, but is integrated into a casual look – far removed from the business look with a suit and patent-leather shoes.

The possibilities are varied, whether in addition to a casual oversized shirt with a print, wide trousers and a peaked cap or in a leather version in combination with BDSM elements such as a dog collar, rivets and even more leather, the tie can be personalized and integrated style.

This article was originally published on FashionUnited.DE, translated and edited to English.