Opulence Fall 2021 Fashion Trend

All that glitters is not gold, but on the runways of Fall 2021, the work of today’s leading designers comes pretty close.

At least as far as womenswear goes, the pendulum seems to be swinging back from the simple practicality of streetwear and towards the most luxurious heights of luxury.

But this isn’t about the rigid opulence of evening wear – instead, we’re seeing ready-to-wear staples get drenched with opulence. Everyday pieces are elevated through maximally lavish creative approaches. Opulent and light-catching materials like silk, sequins, feathers, furs, and lots of silver and gold abound. The timing makes sense as, after the more subdued lockdown-era runway shows, we’re ready to take back the night, step into the light, and start turning heads.

Miuccia Prada’s and Raf Simons’ highly-acclaimed Prada show was characterized by heavy use of glimmering sequins and lots of fur in a spectrum of colors. Balmain ruled the jetway with head-to-toe silver and gold looks. Gucci combined vintage flair with classic aristocratic opulence. Dolce & Gabbana imagined the affluent socialites of a futuristic space colony. Even Rick Owens, the modernist mastermind who tends to eschew ostentatious material symbols of past luxury, couldn’t stay away from sequins, silk, and fur.