Fashion Week trends can sometimes be so visually major that they seem impossible to incorporate in your day-to-day wardrobe. Chloé, however, just showcased its spring/summer 2023 collection at Paris Fashion Week and proved why it's sometimes wise to look beyond the more show-stopping runway moments and seek out the subtler recurring themes.
For next season, the luxury French fashion brand is looking at all things circular - both literally within the collection's details and metaphorically through its messaging.
One year on from achieving B Corp Certification and marking the second chapter of the brand's commitment to and research into climate solutions, Chloé's SS23 collection saw the brand delving into the world of fusion energy; a proposed form of power generation that would produce electricity by using heat from nuclear fusion reactions (scientists estimate that one glass of fusion fuel will create electricity to power a home for more than 800 years).
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Chloé's Creative Director Gabriela Hearst believes that the elimination of fossil fuels is a sure way of achieving climate success, and thanks to advances in technology and an influx in funding the world of fusion fuel looks more likely than ever.
Following extensive research into fusion by Gabriela and the Chloé design team - who visited Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Helion Energy and ITER, and spoke to engineers and scientists - the spring/summer 2023 runway was a showcase of the many inspirations gleaned throughout the process.
There was a light installation created by visual artist Paolo Montiel-Coppa that reimagined the Fusion for Energy emblem, as well as several references to ‘tokamak reactor’ - “the device designed to prove the feasability of fusion as a large-scale source of energy” - within the fabrications. The simplest of which may just be the easiest trend to get on board with next season.
Inspired by isotope compositions and the rounded architecture of the tokamak device, Gabriela incorporated circular design details almost entirely throughout the brand's latest collection.
Shimmering discs adorned a black dress modelled by Adwoa Aboah, while Gigi Hadid and Paloma Elsesser stormed the runway in floor-skimming mesh dresses covered in interlaced circular cut-outs.
Elsewhere rounded metal studs and classic eyelet detailing embellished leathers and denims, whilst singular cut-outs at the hip or neckline served as subtler nods to the theme.
Of course Gabriela's choice of fabrics also spoke to a more positive future, with the collection boasting 100% traceable linen, silk, wool and leather.
Among other sustainable highlights, the denim was composed of 87% recycled cotton and 13% hemp (and finished with a laser wash for reduced water usage - addressing a key, major issue within the denim industry) while 64% of the collection has been made using lower impact materials - 4% above the fashion house's annual commitment.
And while we, naturally, champion and deeply encourage fashion brands to ensure sustainable materials are at the heart of their businesses, Gabriela Hearst has gone one step further and tapped into another incredibly valuable use of her platform.
By educating her team, the industry and - in turn - her customer, she is bringing information usually found in science journals to a whole new global audience. For spring/summer 2023 - and beyond, we hope - it seems that knowledge will be the season's hottest commodity.
For more from Glamour UK's Fashion Editor Charlie Teather, follow her on Instagram @charlieteather.
