FALL-WINTER 2019-2020 FEMININE PLURALS

In 2019, more women than ever hold the reins of style. Fashion is more virtuous, more engaged, more feminist, more inclusive and cosmopolitan. It follows the flow of society. Colder weather means that the body is more hidden. And so new conceptions of femininity and sensuality must express themselves through clothing. When they drape themselves in big coats (Balenciaga, Paul Smith, Courrèges…), women aren’t trying to hide – on the contrary, they take up space. Shoulders are wide, wide, wide (Acne, Saint Laurent, Fendi, Givenchy, Isabel Marant…), volumes are imposing

(JW Anderson, Marine Serre, Koché…), some silhouettes are genderless (Lacoste, Gucci) or androgynous (Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani). On the minimalist side of things, wardrobes are purified, sometimes almost presbyterian (Jil Sander, Haider Ackermann). In show after show, monochromatic palettes dominate, as if to say that being is more important than seeming. Touches of warrior notes (cartridge bags, bomber jackets, fatigues, holsters, boots…) serve as a rallying cry for sisterhood.

This season, women like flowers as much as camo, British plaid as much as checks, they wear tailored suits with the same ease as they do aerial dresses, they are sometimes sensual, occasional travelers, often sporty. At night, they visit techno clubs and jazz joints. Some are discreet, others exuberant, but every single one of them defines the shape of her own womanness. For woman is a man like any other. Anne-Sophie Thomas, Marie Claire Fashion Editor-in-Chief