The Big Contemporary Trends to Watch for Fall

As the fall season gets underway, retailers weigh in on what’s selling so far this season, and what big trends consumers are starting to embrace.

Soft, flowy pants, tweed and boucle jackets, matching sets, wide-leg denim, Western influences, off-the-shoulder tops and sweaters, tailored shorts and preppy looks are some of the key looks checking at retail, according to a spot check of retailers.

With worries about the election and economy hanging overhead, the mood is cautious, but stores say they’re seeing a lot of early action.

What to Anticipate This Fall at Saks

Dayna Ziegler, senior vice president, general merchandise manager of women’s contemporary and modern ready-to-wear at Saks, said, “We are anticipating ‘Lady Chic’ looks to be popular amongst our customers this fall. We’re excited about our selection of blazers, soft jackets in new fabrics like tweed and boucle, as well as patterns like prints and stripes. Paired with matching skirts, pants and shorts sets, the assortment feels especially fresh.”

She said that Saks continues to see “incredible performance within denim, and we don’t expect this to slow down for fall.” She said that head-to-toe denim uniform dressing is still a key trend, “and we are excited about the continuation of wide leg shaped denim silhouettes like barrel legs, cuffed denim and embellishment details.”

Some of the top-performing contemporary brands at Saks heading into fall include, but are not limited to, Staud, L’Agence, Dôen, TWP, Simkhai, Rag & Bone, Ronny Kobo and Favorite Daughter.

When asked if Vice President Kamala Harris was having any impact on the pantsuits business, she said, “Our customers have generally moved away from traditional pantsuit styles and are instead investing in multipurpose investment pieces that create a complementary and polished look. This is best seen with the pairing of blazers and denim, as well as oversize jackets with mini skirts, which both create a modern ‘suit’ look.”

Saks customers are shopping for what they can wear now and through the summer, such as shirting and seasonal transition pieces that will carry through fall, she said.

A More Relaxed Fall at Elyse Walker

Courtney Grant, vice president of buying at Elyse Walker, said, “We’re excited for a softer, more relaxed fall. We’re seeing a lot of English country house influences — with tweeds, argyles, relaxed suedes, shearling and the resurgence of the riding boots all feeling very weekend in the country. It’s the intersection of boho and prep.”

So far, she said her customers are asking for “buy now, wear now.”

“It’s hot in New York, it’s hot in California, and our customers are focused on buying things they can feel comfortable in right now. Flowy soft pants that hang away from the body from Kallmeyer and St. Agni are performing well, paired back to easy textured flats from Christopher Esber and Le Monde Beryl and perfect to pack on last minute vacation, and then carry her into fall styling,” Grant said.

In the denim category with the temperatures so high, Grant said she’s seeing action in lightweight, looser styles like the Super Drape from Frame and Horseshoe and Annina from Citizens of Humanity. “But overall our soft pants are outperforming our denim demand at the moment,” she said.

Asked what brands are performing well so far this season, Grant said Celine, Khaite, Miu Miu, Bottega Veneta, Alaïa, The Row, Loewe, Gabriela Hearst, TWP, Nili Lotan, Toteme and La Ligne.

Despite the fact that Harris has been sporting pants suits for most of her appearances on the campaign trail, Grant isn’t seeing a lot of activity in the suit category.

“We’ve seen our customers take a big step back from suiting in general given the weather this summer. For fall, we invested in fresh takes on tailoring rather than classic pantsuits. Loewe’s belted poplin shirts that walked runway, Kallmeyer’s tie button-downs and Gucci’s baby belted blazers all felt like new takes on power dressing for the season,” she said.

Cozy Textures, Tweeds and Cashmeres at Revolve

Divya Mathur, chief merchandising officer and fashion director of The Revolve Group, which caters to the Millennial and Gen Z customers, said, “We are anticipating a strong fall season based on the exciting runways and collections we saw back in February.”

Among the looks they bought into are “Mob Wife Glam,” which is luxe furs over everything from hot shorts to sweatpants, animal prints, gold jewelry and ski-high stiletto heels; Corporate Core/Office siren, which takes inspiration from conservative office styles such as pinstripes, gray wool suiting and button-downs and gives them a sexy, body-con update, and Eclectic Grandpa, a magpie mix of plaids, tweeds, cashmere and cozy textures.

So far this season Revolve is selling sheer dresses, tops and skirts for both day and night; hot shorts to knee-length shorts (“it’s the season of the short,” Mathur said), drop waist dresses, ladylike retro silhouettes such as cropped tweed jackets with matching shorts/skirts, micro minidresses and miniskirts, butter yellow, baby blue, crimson red and black-and-white combinations, asymmetrical necklines and off-the-shoulder tops and oversize bow details.

As far as bestselling denim styles, she said, “We continue to see wide-leg, low-rise and novelty shapes like carrot, horseshoe and tapered denim sell. Utility details like cargo pockets have also been strong.”

She noted that catsuits and onesies are selling. “Our customer is styling a catsuit with a high heel and oversize bomber jacket for night or wearing it with sneakers and a sweatshirt over her shoulders for day,” she said.

She said the Miu Miu effect is really helping to push sales of items such as pleated miniskirts, striped rugby shirts and preppy cashmere polos. “I think we will see this continue into fall as customers opt for ‘prep’ as their new weekend/casual style,” Mathur said.

Textures, Suede, Tweeds and Satins at Nordstrom

Rickie De Sole, fashion director at Nordstrom, anticipates that the big looks for fall in contemporary will be texture, deep suede, tweed and satins, which bring a fresh, autumnal twist to classic silhouettes. “For a new must-have, look no further than Veronica Beard’s newly launched handbag collection — an aspirational line of sumptuous leather and suede satchels at attainable prices for the on-the-go woman that pair back to the brand’s iconic blazers and dickeys in autumnal textures and patterns.”

She also suggested women add a third piece as an outfit completer from the ladylike cardigan adorned with pearl buttons to the cozy sweater jackets perfect for draping around or over the shoulders, and the rugged outdoor workwear-style chore jacket — Nili Lotan’s is a modern classic — that bring a touch of the utilitarian ease to an otherwise polished look.

She also gave a nod to the Western trend, paired with denim. “Soft, romantic fashion is making a comeback, now with a bohemian twist — think delicate lace and airy sheers that are set to carry us through to the holiday season,” De Sole said.

Asked what’s selling well so far, she cited versatile dresses, which transition from day to night.

“Despite the lingering hot temperatures, there’s a demand for fall knits, a testament to their perennial appeal. This season, blue emerges as the standout hue, with shades ranging from light blue to navy adding a pop of color to the fall palette,” she said. She also noted the return of prints after many seasons of monochrome layering, including classic leopard and playful polka dots, well represented by customer-favorite brands like Reformation, Farm Rio and Favorite Daughter. 

As for denim styles and silhouettes that are selling, De Sole pointed out, “After seasons of embracing wide-leg denim, we’re seeing a return to the perfect classic straight-leg jean. Legacy styles, such as the Agolde ‘90s Pinch Waist, are gaining momentum, and we’re excited about the AG Brinley and Paige Billy styles. Freshness in denim arrives in elevated and textured forms — polished jackets, Western-style tops and denim dresses with stitched detail and embellishments provide an unexpected twist on this fall classic.” 

De Sole noted that Nordstrom is excited to be expanding Reformation to 45 doors this fall. “This expansion is accompanied by the continued success of some of our prominent brands such as Vince, Veronica Beard, Cinq à Sept, Frame, Alice & Olivia, Farm Rio and AllSaints.”

As for unexpected surprises to the fall season so far, De Sole said, “As fall approaches, there’s a surprising growing trend for off-the-shoulder and asymmetrical tops and sweaters, signifying a bold move to more skin-revealing styles.”

Menswear Influence, Utility Jackets and Scarf Coats at Moda Operandi

Discussing the big looks for fall in contemporary at Moda Operandi, chief merchant April Hennig said, “The utility jacket will be the new transitional outerwear piece — this includes anything from what we are calling ‘town and country’ field coats to barn jackets: All have a nostalgic nod to ’90s J.Crew.

“As the weather cools further, scarf coats and capes will be the chicest outerwear of choice,” Hennig said.

She said the standout color from the runways was oxblood red, “and I anticipate this color becoming the essential shade for fall. Sheer fabrications remain relevant, providing distinctive layering options under more structured jackets and outerwear,” Hennig said.

This fall, Hennig believes there are also touches of menswear influence, including heritage prints, elevated trenchcoats and tailored trousers. In contrast, there’s the ultra lady “swan effect,” including shrunken cardigans, pencil skirts, over-the-elbow gloves and elegant hats, which add a timeless element for both day and evening. Other “It” items they are seeing have traction are capris, placement prints, shift dresses and Western-inspired jackets and boots, Hennig said.

Turning to what’s selling well so far at Moda Operandi, she said, “Just a few weeks ago, customers were focused on shopping for ‘instant gratification’ high-summer essentials such as easy cotton dresses, longline shorts, mesh ballet flats and vibrant prints. Now we’re seeing a shift toward securing exciting fall items and versatile pieces perfect for the season’s transition: mod shirt dresses, graphic black-and-white patterns, subtle Western influences in footwear and jackets, capris, tailored shorts and sheer knitwear.”

She said that they’re excited to see that new-to-Moda brands such as Francoise, The Garment, House of Dagmar and Fait Par Foutch gaining traction.

Hennig noted that Moda Operandi had “an outstanding season with denim, particularly with shorts in longer, slightly more sophisticated lengths.

“While the barrel leg trend is tapering off, we’re observing a rising interest in straighter leg styles,” she said.

As for whether she sees an interest in pantsuits as a result of Harris’ strong interest in them, she said, “Instead of traditional pantsuits, there’s growing interest in what we are calling ‘pant sets,’ where suiting trousers are paired with matching tops or vests, rather than jackets.” She said that while their clients may be styling their classic suiting with a twist, “Kamala makes a strong case for modern power dressing and we may continue to see an uptick in sleek monochrome tailoring in the coming months.”

In terms of any unexpected surprises to the fall season, she said, “With a rise in denim sales, we’re excited to see new top options emerging beyond the classic T and traditional cut-and-sew styles. The Trinola Top from By Malene Birger and the Sculpted Tube Top from House of Dagmar have been favorites,” Hennig said.

Wide-leg Denim, Blazers and a Sophisticated Take on the ’70s at Bloomingdale’s

Asked what she anticipates will be the big looks in contemporary for fall, Janelle Lloyd, fashion director of Bloomingdale’s, said, “A modern sophisticated take on ’70s is one of the biggest trends we see for fall [with heritage prints, rich browns, burgundies and greens. Wider-leg denim continues, paired with leather and suede, faux fur, corduroy and fringe. Animal prints are making a comeback and car coats are going to be a must have.”

Denise Magid, chief merchant at Bloomingdale’s, said what’s selling so far are blazers, which are popping up in their top styles again, “driven by embellished blazers and ladylike jackets. Cocktail and event dressing continue to be important to our customer.”

She said that within contemporary, novel details to basic silhouettes are driving early fall demand. “Embellishment, tweed and mixed media are key trends. In contrast to colorful spring bestsellers, black and white have been strongest thus far,” Magid said.

“In our trend areas, elevated basics in new silhouettes have been strong for fall transitional; we’re seeing a lot of blacks and browns, cinched and drop waists and ruching,” Magid said.

Asked how Bloomingdale’s is doing with denim, Magid said, “Barrel-leg and cuffed jeans are selling well, which we anticipate will continue into fall. Gray washes are off to a strong start, but we expect brown to be a top trend for fall within denim as well as corduroy given the ’70s trend overall. Destruction is also something the team has their eye on reemerging in spring 2025 and into fall 2025.”

As for which brands are performing well, Magid said, “We are seeing a lot of strong performers: Aqua, Cinq a Sept, L’Agence, Farm Rio, Mother, Rag & Bone, Staud to name a few.”

On the topic of whether Harris is having any impact on the pantsuits business, Magid said she’s not seeing this yet, “but anticipating sleek tailoring will be a big trend for fall — set dressing continues and waist defining styles dominate.”

Matching Sets, Suiting and Neutral Tones Set the Pace at Kirna Zabete

Beth Buccini, owner of Kirna Zabete, said she anticipates that matching sets, suiting and neutral tones will be big trend for fall. So far, she said, “We are off to a really strong fall season with buy now, wear now performing best. “Clients are looking for instant gratification and we’ve had a lot of success with lightweight summer dresses and sandals that are technically fall,” Buccini said.

She added that they are selling denim well from R13 and Mother. Wider leg styles are performing well, and people still want white jeans. “We anticipate a bigger pick up in denim in September, which is always the strongest month,” Buccini said.

When asked whether she’s seeing a pickup in suiting, as a result of Harris, she said, “We are selling from TWP best, and this summer people have really liked our exclusive matching vests and wide legged pants.

As for surprises this season so far, she said, “We are just starting to see the heavier items pick up. People are waiting longer for coats and knits than usual.”