M.A.D. Shoppe Trend Report : Fall/Winter 2023

Leaves are falling, temperatures are dropping, and before you know it, snow will be on the ground. But drops in temperature also means a drop in new trends for the upcoming seasons. With a keen eye on fashion weeks around the globe, M.A.D. Shoppe tracked the hottest trends for this year's fall and winter seasons. Here's our official trend report for F/W 2023 with the 5 hottest trends that show seasonal staples in their boldest looks yet: redefining elegance in a contemporary way. 

Limitless Leather

There’s nothing new about loving leather for the fall and winter months; it’s a classic cold weather staple. But this year, leather is taking limitless  forms, now in a variety of colours such as ultra trendy butter yellow and cherry red, but also in styles, fits and textures. This year proves that there’s no such thing as too much leather. The more layers of leather, the better. No matter if it’s a leather set or a monochromatic leather look, a full leather outfit is one way to look luxe this season. Because of its timeless elegance limitless leather is most definitely a play on the quiet luxury trend. Designers like Chloé and Loewe displayed their love for this durable fabric, showcasing collections of leather dresses, suits and coats in tailored and oversized fits. Montreal based designer FDG experimented with the leather trend this season, creating a gorgeous leather on leather look with the ‘New York’ burgundy cropped leather jacket and matching burgundy pants Metro pants. No matter the weather, you can never be wrong with some leather on leather. It's no surprise that Kylie Jenner just announced her new leather dominated clothing brand KHY, as leather is having its biggest moment yet.

The Refined Rebel

Runways revealed their rebellious streak with denim-dominated looks and the return of the distressed aesthetic for F/W 2023. This re-emergence of a worn-in style wardrobe brings an artisanal allure to casual chic. The trend is based on unpredictability, defined by layers, and imperfectly perfect details with carefully placed fringes, rips, and stains. Quebec designer Maison Prefontaine offers several looks in the refined rebel category with carefully bleached reconstructed denim pieces. It’s an artsy take on some of the most basic fall staples. Perfect for an autumn day or night, the trend gives a casual yet cool feel with its rustic elements and rebellious touch.

Tartan Takeover

Fall and winter are synonymous with tradition due to the amount of holidays within both seasons. Designers paid tribute to this idea of tradition by playing with the most traditional pattern of all: tartan. The cult classic took over runways this year with a trendy twist  in different adaptations, styles and colours. Designers experimenting with tartan showed us that even the most timeless patterns can be reinterpreted. With a more avant-garde approach, designers took this traditional look and made it exciting by incorporating it in non-traditional forms. This modern twist was seen at Burberry,  Vivienne Westwood, Dior and Quebec based designer Bodybag, as tartan took on new styles with oversized suits and ruched dresses in bold colours, juxtaposed with a variety of patterns in different textiles. No matter how much designers play with the pattern, tartan will forever remain elegant but seeing it styled in a more modern way gives it a new found edge promoting this idea of  contemporary classic.

Cocooning in Comfort

In between seasons will most definitely be cocooning in comfort. If the spike in loungewear over the last couple of years taught us anything, it’s that comfort never goes out of style. It seems that year after year we’re seeing more cozy staples come out of the home and onto the streets in a new and sophisticated way. Like last year’s resurgence of pyjama wear as evening wear, we’re seeing designers use comfort as their main source of inspiration to create a cozy revolution on runways. This year one of the biggest trends for both fall and winter 2023 was extreme coziness. Designers like Gucci, A.W.A.K.E. and Montreal made designer Alex Watson took this idea of comfort to the extreme with dramatized wrap-around silhouettes in warm, soft and luxurious fabrics to emphasize that cold weather fashion should be both cozy and chic. Big blanket type silhouettes and layers of warm, textured fabrics give ode to the Danish concept of “Hygge” which roots itself in comfort and well being. We even saw this not trend make its way into accessories with more plush fabrics and sherpa lined accessories, seen on bags and shoes. So bask in softness this winter and make comfort your style. Shop head to toe comfort here.

Femme Fatale

This year, runways showed this reemergence of Femme Fatale with dark, sultry looks containing maximalist elements to enhance feminine silhouettes. The Femme Fatale trend is all about owning feminine power with eye-catching fabrics in dark hues to mimic the captivating nature of the female aura. Perfect for the Holiday season, the Femme Fatale trend comes in multiple forms, from dresses to accessories and outerwear. Rooted in nostalgia, the trend takes inspiration from classic feminine looks but gives it a modern twist, making it extra glamorous to exude both mystery and power. Femme Fatale looks on the runways ranged from curve hugging silhouettes, to lingerie inspired looks, lace details and sheer dresses to draw the eyes to the most feminine features. Quebec brand Fleur Sauvage Lingerie’s latest collection gives an ode to the femme fatale with their ultra sheer curve hugging pieces like the Oxalis Bodysuit and Kalmy skirt that can be worn both in and outside the bedroom. Montreal based designer Oscar Mendoza offers two gorgeous Femme Fatale inspired pieces with his VEVEE draped velvet open back dress and KINA dress Jacket. These ultra femme looks in dark shades and luxurious fabrics reveal how this trend is all about embracing feminine power.