Fall is of course a big time for outerwear, but Fall 2024’s leading creative directors weren’t content with just leaving it at some classic coats. The past five or so years have seen fashion design become increasingly self-referential as ideas like deconstruction and hybridization have moved further into the mainstream, and this season saw familiar outerwear staples get twisted, spliced, and reimagined.
Some experiments were more straightforward, like Balenciaga’s slashing of new armholes while leaving on the original sleeves, or Vetements’ oversized proportion play and dimensional fabric treatment. Meanwhile, Kimhekim rethought classic tailored outerwear as the skirts for hybrid dresses, Ottolinger thoroughly dissected and reconstructed jackets, and Rick Owens did his thing.
There’s nothing like a statement coat, and this season seems to anticipate that these statements are becoming more and more complex.
