Villain Verve. This design story sees design exploring a sleek look that dresses female fighters for the current doomsday moment. The crisis, war and upcoming recession release anxiety, frustration and rebellion. Drawing on the darker racing and dominatrix themes of previous seasons, SS23 is drawing on a sexy villain silhouette that sees women as empowered, strong and dominating. Taking charge of their destiny, dramatic and impactful looks are key here. Next to a large number of summer’s new black, dark purple and passionate red are offering the right palette to capture the ready-to-fight spirit of this trend. With a vampy feel, seductive cut-outs, racing panels and moto-elements , buckles, belts and straps are translated in strong and clean silhouettes. An 80’s influence is coming through here, with hood, bold shoulders, hourglass waistlines and shiny materials. Exploring hardware is essential and mixing lingerie with men’s tailoring staples is balancing out the look. From YSL to Monot and Heliot Emil to Versace, the dark summer look is all-around for S23.

Dreamstate. The perspective on the future is changing. For SS23, Designers are stepping out of their despair and realize that we are now creating the future and that we are able to shape it into what we want it to be. As drivers of this brave new world, a softer utopia is guiding designs for next summer. Focusing on well-being and a clear mental state, inspiration is taken from the world of rest, wellness innovation and dreaming. Exploring designs that merge sleepwear and lingerie into new contexts is key here. The Slip-dress and Nightie are transformed and a deconstructing, undressing effect seems more prominent than ever. Silhouettes are balancing between cocooning and revealing and propose a new era of pastels in shades that seem slightly more tech and augmented than before. Boudoir moments in lace and satin meet gummy-like surfaces and modernist, edgy forms for an exciting new mix. From Acne to Burberry and Sportmax to Jonathan Simkai, brand’s are showing their interest in a tender new world that keeps us safe, sound and balanced.

Secret Gardens. The appeal of dreamy horticulture and a secret, more gentle world that is existing in botanic worlds, is connecting designers for  SS23 season. Design stories depict a softly tinted fairytale garden where utility elements collide with a fairy-appeal. Interesting hybrid pieces, including light fisherman outwear pieces or reworked, frilled feminine dresses are the embodiment of this new design trend. Rubber boots meet light dresses and feminine details invade a universe of more bucolic, utility pieces. The trend is adding a fresh and positive nuance to fashion during times of crisis and distress that maintains an escaping function while feeling grounded and assuring. From Simone Rocha to Dior and Yuhan Wang to Fendi, slightly historic and cottage-style looks are viewed through gardener’s lenses and enrich SS23 with a phantasy outdoor vibe.

Whimsigoth.  The whimsigoth look is the ultimate throwback to dramatic witch wear from the late ‘80s to ‘90s and provides the perfect feminine update to current 90’s grunge styles. Witchy styling is giving design a sense of control and holistic connection in an intense and erratic world. Driven by a ballet core aesthetic, the new look is clashing delicacy and darks, subculture and prep, as well as masculine and feminine dressing. Full Volume Skirts meet grungy sweaters, slashed denim opposes victorian ruffles and rigid fabrics mix with tulles and other sheers. In its witchy and whimsical way, the look is highly poetic and makes a feminist statement on power, protection and feminine cliches. Bell sleeves and lace-up bodices are staples to honor the past and bring a mythical feature to the subversive subcultural look.

Mermaidcore. Summer 23 is all about creating a new future and about exploring new territories that can inspire innovation and the next big step. The Mermaidcore trend is literally diving deep to find that otherworldly and estrange inspiration for designs. The endless potential of the ocean and its huge unexplored universe incorporate multiple consumer emotions: awe, forward-thinking, a need for phantasmagoria and the dream of foreign reservoirs for a new beginning. The mermaid trend is taking the appeal of the great aquatic to a slinky and seductive appeal. With an array of seductive sirens, designers capture the beauty of the underwater world. Long fluid looks and form-fitting silhouettes equally  draw on  in outlandish aquatic prints or blue-tinted sparkles here. Fishnets are updated with sequins, shells and mother of pearl become a recurring motif and elongated, flouncy hems or fishtail shapes create that desired mermaid look.

Cyber Tropics. A summer of youth cultures, of surf and skate, allows women to be the cool kid’s on the beach and boulevards. Drawing on the current high of the 2000s trend, designers explore a vibrant subcultural look as seen through artificial lenses. Ready for our expending physical reality, surprising neons that include mint, lime and tangerine, pulsate on dark backgrounds for a new hedonistic prism. Tropical and exotic motifs, like palm trees and butterflies, are presented in hyper-real or digital interpretations for a cyber look. The Silhouettes reference the most stylish and bold youth look of the 2000s with micro-mini silhouettes, super-tight jersey items, baggy and skate bottoms, as well as mini tops and high platform shoes. Layering looks are key and mix music-video sex-appeal with masculine skater styles. From Dsquared2 to David Koma and Coperni to Prabal Gurung, designers are taking us to Miami Nights of the 2000s and propose the perfect summer night wardrobe.

Crafted Riviera. Taking us to the Islands of the Mediterranean, SS23 has seen an increase of more refined artisanal silhouettes. Celebrating the charm of heritage and local crafts has been guiding designs over the past seasons, yet next summer seems to take the previous, rather impulsive, explosion of craft and creativity on a more stylized path. Natural rusticity and a bohemian nuance are fusing with fluid and cleaner silhouettes and propose an Island Look that resonates a warm luxury aesthetic with unpretentious ease and authenticity. Linen, macrame, beads and artful ribbons collide into fresh silhouettes that seem to resonate heritage in a more modern way. Ancient ceramic ornaments are re-discovered and knit is expressed in rustic interpretations within this trend. The colors seem grounded in sedimental neutrals and clayish brown, yet allow sparks of warm yellow, fiery orange and sunny reddish tints for the perfect vacation wardrobe.