The trend of mixing and layering various prints is making its way into luxury fashion. Designers like Prada, Louis Vuitton, and many others have been incorporating numerous bold, clashing prints into one piece of clothing. Fashion shows have seen an increase in these striking prints, with complete outfits containing multiple patterns of plaid, stripes, and maybe even polka dots. These elements work to create the kind of fashion you can’t look away from.

Print clashing has been popular for a few seasons because it adds creativity to simplicity. It stands out and gives a look the extra boldness it needs to make a statement. It’s not about throwing random prints together, however. It’s about figuring out how to blend chaotic mixes of print until they somehow complement each other.

With the runway continuing to endorse this trend, these upcoming seasons are sure to be filled with incongruous prints and patchwork. The fashion industry is slowly but surely leaving seasonally-dictated color palettes behind. Brands are now incorporating bold and vibrant hues into their pieces. There has been a recent emphasis on grass green, as well as an increase in shades of purple.

The 80s are surely to thank for these trends. Fashion shows have been filled with big shoulders, bright colors, bold stripes, definitely lots of prints, and metallic fabrics. Many brands offer 80s-inspired clothing, including Adidas, Nike, Gucci, Maison Margiela, and Yves Saint Laurent. Younger generations seem to love 80s fashion, and brands have certainly acknowledged this. The 80s trend is key to consumers because it appeals to not only younger generations, but older generations who would love to be revisit their past.

Nostalgia seems to be a driving force for many recent collections. Bold stripes have been showing up more and more, because they have the ability to bring up memories of childhood, ice cream, and school sport days. Bold stripes elicit that nostalgic feeling, and have even appeared in fashion shows for this upcoming fall season.

Gucci has undoubtedly incorporated the 80s into its recent collections. Gucci Pre-Fall is exploding with color, print, logos, and patterns. The collection features silk shirts, corduroy trousers, and coats that look like they were made out of your grandmother’s couch. Colors are bright and vivid, including primary colors and rainbow patterns. The collection also offers retro accessories like sunglasses.

via Balenciaga

Balenciaga’s Fall 2018 womenswear lookbook confirms that these upcoming seasons are all about clashing bold patterns and textures. Balenciaga has been combining menswear elements with womenswear, pairing items like oversized coats with slimmer builds and street/office wear with haute couture elements. Most of these garments are unisex, too. Male and female models are seen wearing them during the collection’s runway shows. Balenciaga has been trying to get rid of gender norms and make clothing that isn’t restricted to a specific group of people.

Demna Gvasalia, creative director of Balenciaga and head designer of Vetements, is purposely turning attention to parts of fashion that are often ignored. Gvasalia wants people and brands to start considering different sections of the color wheel and unpopular prints and patterns. Fashion is always changing, and that’s the fun part. Gvasalia is changing the standards for what is considered stylish and bringing value into previously abandoned ideas in fashion.

Gvasalia presented his fall 2018 collection outside a film studio in Paris. There were lots of blazers and coats, with prints ranging from glen plaid to houndstooth. Many of the coats were layered, too. Wool coats topped denim jackets, which topped hoodies. Viewers were left questioning if they should expect a deep freeze this winter. Other pieces consisted of raw edges and contradictory elements like various checked patterns.

Featured image via Burberry, Juergen Teller.

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