Which style trend has been your favourite in 2023?
From hooded couture and waistcosts to pearls and Barbiecore, this year was all about bold, loud and experimental fashion styles.
Every year there are styles that end up becoming a staple look on every designer and celebrity’s mood board. This year, saw an array of silhouettes and colours that made a statement at global events and saw celebrities from across mediums include it in their public appearances.
From Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s hooded couture on the Cannes red carpet to fashion designers such as Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, Manish Malhotra, Prabal Gurung exploring the world of pearls in Indian and western silhouettes, 2023 has been a fabulous year in terms of experimentation.
The contemporary drape over the head got its fair share of limelight in 2023. When Aishwarya stepped on the iconic Cannes red carpet, wearing the Mystical hood designed by Gunel Babayeva of Sophie Couture. According to Gunel, the hood was created to accentuate Aishwarya’s ethereal eyes. The structured hood was adorned with lightweight aluminium pieces embellished with perfection.
Similarly, during Cannes Mrunal Thakur took an artistic approach towards the hooded couture trend by adorning a statement piece designed by Anamika Khanna. Throughout the year, the hooded drape has seen many versions on and off the red carpet and has been celebrated by designers and celebrities across the globe.
There were some everyday styles that broke the internet too, like celebrating the colour Pink, inspired by the blockbuster movie Barbie, or making waistcoats relevant again. With pink being the colour of the season, people forgot what the Pantone 2023 colour was after all. Reigning everyone’s mood board and wardrobe in 2023, the vibrant pink shade became every celebrity and designer’s BFF. From Zendaya, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Deepika Padukone, among others, own the shade in contemporary silhouettes.
Speaking of silhouettes, waistcoats made a grand entry into everyday styles, and this was one comeback look that everyone seemed to dig. Alia Bhatt stepped out on a bright sunny day, adorning herself in a Summer Somewhere co-ord set featuring a vest and pants in a shade of dark brown. The waistcoat has been tried and tested by an array of celebrities, such as Deepika Padukone, Gal Gadot, and Anushka Sharma, among others.
If waistcoats ruled the daily daywear look, silhouettes embellished with pearls ruled the red carpet and festive looks.
From Janhvi Kapoor slaying the pearl encrusted Manish Malhotra blouse to Nora Fatehi bringing Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla’s pearl vision to life, the tiny white embellishments has added glory to every contemporary Indian silhouette. From jewellery to footwear the pearl has been explored in various sizes and shapes.
Ombre and colour blocking techniques were favoured by designers, making it a style that stood out in not just collections but also in the movies. Bollywood brides chose to keep their wedding looks pastel and it was all about grandeur but in subtle hues of ivory, pinks and gold.
Was 2023 a game-changer in Indian fashion? Well, it had its moments on many global fashion platforms and red carpet events, with celebrities and designers making their mark and representing India through their bodies of work.
While we wait for 2024 to unfurl the red carpet, we hope it brings in a plethora of styles that are not only timeless but also mindful and sustainable.
