As we scrambled blindly to the end of 2022, there were a handful of questions we were happy to put off until the New Year. That's for future us to worry about, we thought. Now that it's here, we can ignore them no longer. So, what's on the agenda for fashion in 2023? Rather than join the armchair experts in making scanty predictions, we're navigating our way through the facts as they've been presented.
First off, there's plenty of designer debuts to keep an eye out for – from Daniel Lee to Ludovic de Saint Sernin – not to mention a hotly discussed Met Gala theme. We've got our fingers crossed that in 2023 we'll get some clarity too. Last year was not without its bombshells, with Raf Simons closing his namesake brand, Alessandro Michele's abrupt exit from Gucci and the loss of Manfred Thierry Mugler and Vivienne Westwood. Hopefully some closure is on the cards. Below, the big fashion moments we're anticipating in 2023.
Daniel Lee at Burberry
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We're a month out from Daniel Lee's Burberry debut and needless to say we're practically buzzing with excitement. For Lee, who was born in Bradford England, this is a homecoming of sorts, and it's clear to anyone who has been reading his recent interviews that the designer understands the legacy and house codes of Burberry intimately. More than anything, Lee hopes that people will feel reassured by his vision for Burberry, per Vogue, which we will get our first glimpse of during the Fall season at London Fashion Week.
What will become of Riccardo Tisci?
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In the meantime, it's unclear what Riccardo Tisci, who helmed Burberry for five years, has planned. Some are speculating that the Italian designer will revive his eponymous brand after he closed it in 2005 ahead of his tenure at Givenchy, rumours that were sparked by an Instagram post of Tisci with Michaela Coel, who debuted his first solo look in over 17 years for a European premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Harris Reed at Nina Ricci
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The New Guard continues to make their presence known. A British-American Central Saint Martins graduate, Harris Reed is behind the theatrical and gender fluid designs we've seen worn by everyone from Iman at the 2021 Met Gala to Harry Styles, Adele and Florence Pugh. In September 2022, it was announced that Reed's designs would have a new home at Nina Ricci – his first Creative Director appointment thus far. Expect to see his debut collection for Nina Ricci sometime in "early 2023".
Ludovic de Saint Sernin at Ann Demeulemeester
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As a fellow Belgian-born designer, it felt like a natural fit when Ludovic de Saint Sernin was tapped as the first creative director at Ann Demeulemeester since Demeulemeester herself. In 2017, de Saint Sernin established his own eponymous label with his designs immediately garnering attention for their sultry and sensual sensibility inextricably tied to queerness and fluidity. Leather is prolific in both the collections of Demeulemeester and de Saint Sernin, so we're amped to see how it's reinterpreted at Ludovic de Saint Sernin's Paris Fashion Week debut in March 2023.
Haider Ackermann for Jean Paul Gaultier Couture
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Ever since Jean Paul Gaultier announced his retirement, and in turn, introduced the guest designer format for the brand's couture line, it's become something of a biannual treat. First came Chitose Abe's take on the Gaultier codes, then a viral collection from (arguably designer of the year) Glenn Martens and later Olivier Rousteing. Now, come spring 2023, we can expect to see Haider Ackermann put his own spin on the influential French designer's legacy. Notorious for his friendship with Timothée Chalamet, of whom he frequently dresses, expect fluid tailoring with feminine cuts. Another exemplary pairing, no?
Karl Lagerfeld tribute at the 2023 Met Gala
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The rumours were true. As is the practice, the Costume Institute is set to host an exhibition honouring the tremendous legacy of Karl Lagerfeld, and as usual the Met Gala theme will mirror the exhibit. This year the Met Gala will fall on May 1, and the exhibition is set to open on May 5 – the first retrospective to spotlight a single designer since Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between in 2017. Given the uptick in scrutiny the Met Gala has attracted in recent years, it will be interesting to see how people navigate the thorny reputation that has dogged Lagerfeld, which includes fatphobia and racism.
Rafs Simons, Miuccia and the future of Prada
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It was a particularly hard blow for stalwarts of Raf Simons when the designer closed his eponymous label after 27 years in November 2022. As you can imagine, the unexpected nature of the announcement set the rumour mill churning out a litany of theories, ones that gathered more traction when, just two weeks later, Miuccia Prada and her husband Patrizio Bertelli stepped down as the CEOs of Prada Group. Does this mean a succession plan is underway, and how does Raf Simons fit into the puzzle? Or are we simply reading too much into it? Hopefully, 2023 will provide some answers.
Who will succeed Virgil Abloh?
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More than a year since the tragic passing of Virgil Abloh, Louis Vuitton is still holding off announcing his successor. Naturally, there has been heavy speculation around who the potential contenders could be, with names like Grace Wales Bonner, Martine Rose and Telfar Clemens in circulation. Either way, at least for the present moment, it remains unclear who will fill the spot of Louis Vuitton men's creative director and continue Abloh's legacy of championing Black creatives in the industry.
What's next for Alessandro Michele, Gucci (and Harry Styles) for that matter?
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In his seven years as creative director (and a 20-year tenure in total) Alessandro Michele invigorated Gucci, turning the luxury Italian House into a maximalist space for fantasy and above all, fun. However, in news that surprised us all, Michele's time with the Maison abruptly ended in November 2022 when it was announced that the designer would be moving on, effective immediately. So where to next for Michele? Who will fill the gaping hole he left at Gucci? And who will Harry Styles turn to for campy feather boas and 70s suits? We simply must know. These are some of the loose ends we expect will be knotted as the year progresses.
What's on the cards for Tom Ford?
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Like we said, there was a lot to digest in the realm of fashion during the final months of 2022. One of those was Estée Lauder acquiring Tom Ford – and its many branches – for a whopping $2.8 billion. For the moment, it appears the Texan designer will stay on as the brand's “creative visionary” throughout 2023, however little is known about his plans after this period is over, giving us ample fodder for hypothesizing.
