The spring 2024 fashion trends—both macro-and micro—that emerged during the collections number almost as many as the shows Vogue Runway covers. The 11 here tell stories that link clothing to culture—the idea is that they will speak not only to what you want to wear, but maybe also get at the collective why.
The goings (Sarah Burton, Gabriela Hearst) and comings (Sabato de Sarno, Peter Hawkings, Peter Do, Louise Trotter) of designers generated as much news as their creations. Each of these artistic leads is connected to a heritage house, with some following the breadcrumb path of their predecessor(s) more closely than others. Nostalgia and anemoia (the longing for things never known)—particularly for the ’90s—continue to exert a powerful pull on the industry. And it’s not too difficult to understand why: The grunge-to-glam aesthetic reflects our competing desires for comfort and clickable content, and, seen from a distance, the “come as you are” era can seem idyllic, especially compared to today’s divisive atmosphere.
Sheer Delights: Diaphanous White Dresses

The white dress, in various levels of transparency, is a key spring 2024 fashion trend, one that manifests designers’ quest for a feeling of lightness. At Prada, where Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons were aiming for “an absolute freedom of the body,” models appeared among curtains of slime in gossamer dresses made of mille-feuille layers of floaty fabric. While the form might be revealed through gossamer materials or draping, the effect is not a sexualization of the body as much as a classical take on it. More like the three Graces in Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera than Victoria’s Secret.
Summer Elegy: Serious Black

Lacking wings, people are earthbound. The predominance of black on the runways seemed to acknowledge the human condition while at the same time showing us how the imagination can soar, even in times of sadness. “He feels like he’s stuck in the world, but he wants to release himself,” said an interpreter backstage at Jun Takahashi’s Undercover show, which featured tulle-wrapped suits and luminous dresses that were temporary homes for butterflies. Shrouded looks also appeared at Issey Miyake and at Rick Owens.
Air Con: Open-Work Materials

Taking functionality beyond cargo pockets, designers created lots of looks that had a cooling effect by virtue of the fact that they were made using openwork materials. These ranged from pom-pom embellished mesh at Bottega Veneta to a fine net at Proenza Schouler, and from artful cut-outs at Valentino to a lattice of shells at Versace.