From cowgirls to clowns, or Drag Queens to the Queen of England, from stoop labor to a real post-show birth and labor, the past four weeks of Fashion month have been completely saturated with a wide array of wonder in anticipation of Spring. It truly seems like designers across the board are celebrating and honoring the craft of fashion and focusing their creativity towards garments that are not only fabulous, but wearable, refined and comfortable as well.

With the growing presence of global activist organizations carrying conversations about social issues around the world, it seems like fashion has placed itself at an interesting crossroads. It’s impossible for fashion to separate itself from what is going on around it, yet the way these issues are tackled appear to fall under two main categories.

On the one hand, we see designers focusing on addressing reality head-on through powerful imagery and straightforward statements, such as with Kirby Jean-Raymond of the brand Pyer Moss; conversely, we see designers focusing on escapism and a rejection of urban life, perhaps as a means of subversively discussing messages about society while still hanging onto the brand aesthetic, as with Stella McCartney’s 90’s revival show.

It seemed every show paid incredible attention to the handmade elements that make fashion special. From hand-knitted crocheted sweaters at Sonia Rykiel, to an evening gown made completely out of paper at Dolce & Gabbana, we’ve been given an insight into fashion and creativity at their finest.

The tangible elements of the garments felt secondary to the needs of the person who would be wearing them, and it’s so uplifting to see designers truly honoring their customers rather than just the clothes they wear. For the woman who values comfort, there’s Jeremy Scott’s flannel kimono or Chloé’s cozy knits; for the woman who wants to stand out, there’s Marc Jacob’s infinite ruffled gown or Gucci’s sexy snakeskin slip; and for the woman who lives in her workout gear, there’s Off-White’s chic Nike collaboration with matching ball-gown skirt and custom Nike sneakers.

In the end, it seems that the greatest take-away from this season is to just be present in who and where you are. Designers appear to be projecting a message of finding strength in individuality when difficulties arise. It truly feels like fashion is taking a stance, declaring: “this is who I am, take it or leave it” and it’s wonderfully refreshing to see.

And with that, here are our top trends straight from the runways of Fashion Month Spring/Summer 2019.

White-Out

While spring is normally saturated with vibrant colors and bold prints, another way to make a statement this season is by donning full-monochrome white. Notably, Virgil Abloh at his Track and Field show for Off-White demonstrated the strength in monochrome mobility. From Sarah Burton’s white knights in leather at McQueen to Jeremy Scott’s six-man wedding gown at Moschino, the message is clear: you don’t need vibrant pigments to show your true colors.

Ruff and Tumble

Ruffle up! Prepare for spring’s most dramatic trend! Marc Jacobs sent down a battalion of models in huge, dramatic, clownish ruffles that still managed to maintain an eccentric chicness in their grandeur. Whether they’re multicolored, stacked and spotted (Dolce and Gabbana) or more minimal (Prabal Gurung), ruffles are a fun way to add some playfulness to any look for Spring.

Lunatic Fringe

Whether you’re a disco queen or looking to take a walk on the wild side, embrace fringe for spring! Longchamp’s 70th anniversary show showed that fashion and movement go hand-in-hand and what better way to embrace the dynamism of style than by venturing into fringe. Long strands (like at Jacquemus) or short (at Oscar de la Renta); made of suede (Coach) or sewing needles (Moschino), keep the party going and allow you to shimmy into spring with a little bit of music and a whole lot of attitude.

Loose-Knit

Leave it to Angela Missoni to show us how to rock a sweater for summer. Keep it loose, keep it casual and above all, keep it comfy. Young houses like Eckhaus Latta and Gypsy Sport are embracing the craft of knitting and crochet, yet done in a way to keep us cool for the summer. You can layer loose knits over a swimsuit à la Chloé for a beachy, St Tropez vibe, or throw them over a dress like Louis Vuitton for a more sophisticated look; but it certainly seems like sweater weather is no longer limited to fall and winter.

Smells Like Teen Spirit

Come as you are: out in bloom or confined in a heart-shaped box. All apologies, but grunge is back for spring! Flannels, distressed denim, band tees and sneakers: we can assure you that spring is going to be a laidback season. From the runways of New York to Paris, designers seemed to really have comfort and attitude on their minds. Jeremy Scott showed us all how to update check for the contemporary era, while Junya Watanabe took denim to places where it has never been before. The most grunge-tastic interpretation of the trend had to be from VFiles, who somehow managed to combine all the angst of 90’s grunge with the contradictory chicness and exuberance of Cher Horowitz, from flannel jumpsuits to a denim wedding gown: for this gift, we feel blessed!

Scale-Up

Animal prints seem to be perpetually circulating in fashion and it appears as if something scalier will be slithering its way into our wardrobes this spring. Tom Ford showed us sensual crocodile-skin coats and corsets while Saint Laurent plastered snakeskin patterns on shorts and boots, perfect for festival season. Outstanding looks also included Virgil Abloh’s neon green snakeskin patterned puffer jacket and Armani’s chartreuse snake-skin blazer, adding a wild touch to sportswear for spring.

Beach, Please!

Summer isn’t summer without a trip to the beach and it seems like designers from all over were adopting that ethos. Simon Porte Jacquemus took fashion week to the French Riviera, while Karl Lagerfeld brought Paris to the C-Side at Chanel. Anthony Vaccarello at Saint Laurent revealed a bold new line of swimwear and Thom Browne set sail for a beach with some very peculiar inhabitants. There were wonderful straw hats, headscarves, beach ball bags and sandals perfect for a day trip to the shore, and even a gown or two with nautical and aquatic motifs for a sunset stroll by the sea. And if we’re taking a note from the Etro show, which featured professional surfers Victoria Vergara and Maribel Koucke, it seems like the general consensus for spring is to grab your board and bikini and hang ten!

Beyond the Veil

Perhaps one of the more romantic (and random) trends for spring, veils and masks have been popping up all over the runways this month. From Rodarte’s ghostly beauties at the New York City Marble Cemetery to Gareth Pugh’s voguing creatures at the Two Skin Club in London, it seems like facial obscurity is running rampant for spring. Who can blame these designers? At a time like this, sometimes the best remedy for dismay is to keep oneself protected beneath a mask. Or perhaps anonymity is simply a gateway into exploring and revealing a completely new and unfamiliar persona!

All images courtesy of Vogue.com