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.

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Balmain Balmain Balmain Balmain Balmain Balmain Balenciaga Burberry Burberry Burberry Burberry Burberry Elie Saab Elie Saab Elie Saab Erdem Erdem Erdem Erdem Erdem Erdem Erdem Erdem Erdem Alberta Ferretti Alberta Ferretti Alberta Ferretti Alberta Ferretti Alberta Ferretti Oscar de la Renta Fendi Fendi Fendi Givenchy Givenchy Givenchy Givenchy Givenchy Givenchy Prabal Gurung Prabal Gurung Carolina Herrera Carolina Herrera Carolina Herrera Carolina Herrera Lanvin Lanvin Lanvin Loewe Loewe Loewe Loewe JW Anderson JW Anderson Michael Kors Collection Michael Kors Collection Michael Kors Collection Michael Kors Collection Michael Kors Collection Michael Kors Collection Michael Kors Collection Michael Kors Collection Michael Kors Collection Michael Kors Collection Michael Kors Collection Michael Kors Collection Paco Rabanne Paco Rabanne Paco Rabanne Paco Rabanne Paco Rabanne Temperley London Prada Prada Prada Prada Prada Prada Prada Prada Prada Rick Owens Rick Owens Rick Owens Rokh Rokh Rokh Saint Laurent Saint Laurent Saint Laurent Saint Laurent Saint Laurent Saint Laurent Saint Laurent Saint Laurent Tom Ford Schiaparelli Schiaparelli Schiaparelli Schiaparelli Schiaparelli Schiaparelli Valentino Valentino Valentino Valentino Valentino Valentino Dries Van Noten Dries Van Noten Dries Van Noten Dries Van Noten Dries Van Noten Dries Van Noten Giambattista Valli GiambattistaValli Vetements Vetements Vetements Vetements Versace Versace Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton
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