London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jun 23, 2026

8 Essential Trends From Fashion Week’s Spring 2021 Season

8 Essential Trends From Fashion Week’s Spring 2021 Season

From stylish sweatsuits to the sharp shoulders at Balmain and Balenciaga, these are the silhouettes to know for spring 2021.
Power Pants


Spending 8 hours a day on a Zoom call requires much more than just a fun top. A comfortable chair is a good place to start, but also necessary are easy-to-wear pants that allow for a wide range of motion. The oversize trousers at Louis Vuitton, The Row, and Stella McCartney are just the fix for a sedentary life—and an active one, too. With maximum swoosh factor, these pants pick up on fashion’s ’80s revival, guaranteeing that wherever you walk—around the neighborhood or simply from the table to the bedroom—you look dramatic and elegant.


Louis Vuitton


The Row

Stella McCartney


Chloé


Isabel Marant


Stylish Sweatsuits


At one of the season’s most anticipated debuts, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons spoke about creating a new uniform. Their sweatsuits, a marriage of Prada’s full-skirt silhouettes and Simons’s graphic tendencies, feel like the right style for our slouchy present. Balenciaga, Rodarte, and Collina Strada have playful takes on sweats too—though maybe only Matthew Williams’s Givenchy hoodie (the season’s other anticipated debut) qualifies as black tie.


Prada


Max Mara


Rodarte

Y/Project

Lutz Huelle

Everyday Exuberance

Fantastical fashion has returned to Earth with honest clothes that have a practical magic about them. Dries Van Noten and Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli, both masters of color and print, have long been advocates for eccentric everyday clothing; Molly Goddard, Christopher John Rogers, and Matty Bovan are getting on board too with printed denim, expressive knitwear, and over-the-top cotton tops. This spring, retire the medium wash jeans and beige for something a little more fun.

Dries Van Noten


Molly Goddard

Marni

Christopher John Rogers

Valentino

Second Skins

If the popularity of Marine Serre’s moon print base layers are any indication, those of us not wearing sweats are wearing stretchy second skins whether we’re curling up at home or layering for going out. Rick Owens and Thebe Magugu cut diaphanous knitwear that hugs the body, while Charlotte Knowles, Ottolinger, Supriya Lele, Nensi Dojaka, and LaQuan Smith all continued their experiments in mesh. Here they follow in the footsteps of fashion’s original upcycler, Xuly Bët’s Lamine Badian Kouyaté, who is famous for red-seamed stretch bodysuits.


Rick Owens

Thebe Magugu

Sportmax


Balmain


Chanel


Sharp Shoulders


Big time shoulders are not new, but they are not going away either. Balmain and Balenciaga showed the most dramatic versions, while Maison Margiela and Richard Malone offer softer takes on the silhouette that is perfect for cutting through the chaos of the world.


Balmain

Givenchy

Rick Owens

Richard Malone

Yohji Yamamoto

Serene Tunics


Long layers that drape on the body are the season’s predominant silhouette, seen at Fendi, Jil Sander, Thom Browne, and more. It makes sense: A draped tunic offers plenty of ease without sacrificing grace. Plus, matching sets like Marina Moscone’s cerulean top and trousers are much more comfortable alternative: a suit.


Fendi

Kenneth Ize

Mame Kurogouchi

Acne Studios

Maximilian

Dainty Day Dresses


These pouf-sleeved, slim dresses harken back to the no-nonsense glamour of the 1940s. There are true tea dresses from Rodarte, Coach, and Alessandra Rich, and more amusing propositions from Batsheva, the queen of quirky frocks. Consider them an at-home must for the pants-averse.


Rodarte


Alessandra Rich


Ulla Johnson


Rokh


Sandy Liang

Surface Interest


In addition to exuberant prints, this season has also ushered in expressive textures. The boldest, like Versace’s plissés or Coperni’s creases, might pop on Zoom, but the many crafty fabrics and techniques seen at Kenneth Ize, Kiko Kostadinov, and Nanushka are actually designed for the pleasure of the wearer, not the viewer. Doing something nice for oneself is the ultimate indulgence in #timeslikethese.


Kenneth Ize


Kiko Kostadinov


Givenchy


Versace

Thom Browne


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Taxpayer Support Grows for Higher Digital Levies on Multinational Tech Companies
Bank of England Signals Caution Over Inflation Despite Easing Energy Prices
Lloyds Banking Group Expands Artificial Intelligence Hiring Amid Sector-Wide Automation Shift
Film Producer Corporate Collapse Leaves Creditors Facing Unrecoverable Losses
UK Ten-Year Brexit Anniversary Highlights Ongoing Political and Economic Uncertainty
Nottingham Maternity Scandal Inquiry Reveals Systemic Failings in NHS Care
Met Office Heatwave Prompts Public Health Warnings Across United Kingdom
Concerns Rise Over Fiscal Stability as Political Uncertainty Weighs on UK Borrowing Costs
UK Taxpayers Back Higher Digital Taxes on Global Technology Firms, Survey Shows
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates Steady Amid Persistent Services Inflation
Reform UK and Opposition Leaders Call for General Election Following Starmer’s Departure
Ten Years After Brexit Referendum, UK Faces Ongoing Political Fragmentation and Economic Debate
Nottingham University Hospitals Maternity Inquiry Exposes Severe NHS Failures
Met Office Issues Heat Health Alerts as United Kingdom Faces Record-Breaking Temperatures
Andy Burnham Emerges as Front-Runner for Labour Leadership After Starmer’s Resignation
Keir Starmer Resigns as UK Enters New Phase of Political Leadership Transition
UK Expands Alcohol Ban Enforcement Using Tagging Technology Ahead of World Cup
UK Invests £50 Million in Critical Minerals Supply Chain Security
UK Appoints Special Envoy on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict
UK Introduces Fines for Landlords of Unsafe Rental Properties
Reform UK Leads Opinion Polls as Immigration Debate Reshapes UK Politics
Police Investigate Edinburgh Attacks as Potential Hate Crimes
King Charles to Publish Personal Tax and Royal Household Financial Records
Nottingham University Hospitals Maternity Inquiry Report Set for Publication
Heat-Health Alerts Issued Across London and Southern England Amid Rising Temperatures
UK Economy Shows Pressure From Middle East Conflict Despite Modest Growth
Brexit Anniversary Reignites Debate Over UK Economic and Political Direction
UK Parliament Continues Legislative Work Amid Leadership Transition
Financial Markets Hold Steady After UK Leadership Shake-Up
Andy Burnham Enters Labour Leadership Race With Strong Parliamentary Backing
Keir Starmer Resigns as UK Prime Minister After Two Years in Office
Reform UK MP Lee Anderson to Raise Pension Concerns Over British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme
UK Parliament to Debate Newborn Screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy Following Public Petition
Met Office Warns of Water Safety Risks During Heatwave as Temperatures Peak in England
Treasury Increases Mileage Allowance Payments for 2026–27 Tax Year to 55 Pence Per Mile
UK Government Raises Electricity Generator Levy to 55 Percent in New Revenue Measure
House of Lords Moves Financial Services and Markets Bill to Committee Stage Amid Regulatory Scrutiny
Westminster Hall to Debate Petition on Pro-Israel Influence in UK Politics
UK Parliament Prepares for Estimates Days Debates as Backbench Business Schedule Approved
Armed Forces Bill Nears Final Stages in UK House of Commons With Military Justice Reforms
Donald Trump Comments on UK Political Situation, Citing Immigration and Energy Policy Concerns
Andy Burnham By-Election Victory Fuels Speculation Over Potential Labour Leadership Contest
UK Economy Shows Resilience but Faces Headwinds from Middle East Tensions, UK Finance Says
UK Parliament Opens Week of Debates on Net Zero, Security and Armed Forces Reform
Met Office Issues Amber Extreme Heat Warning as Temperatures Expected to Reach 35C Across England and Wales
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Faces Mounting Leadership Pressure After Makerfield By-Election Defeat
London Hotel Wins World’s Best Afternoon Tea Award at International Hospitality Guide La Liste
Court of Appeal Rules in Favour of Competition and Markets Authority in Phenytoin Drug Case
Chichester Waste Site Suspended After Environment Agency Finds Serious Fire and Pollution Risks
UK Appoints Chris Elmore as Special Envoy on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict
×