Fashion Week’s Top Street Style Trends, January ‘24
We review the best looks and trends from Europe’s fashion week circuit in January 2024.
For those in the industry of style, it’s straight back to business during the post-holiday period, with January welcoming the first of two bi-annual men’s fashion weeks.
Despite the jam-packed schedule of exciting shows and collection reveals, however, what captivates our interest the most is always what people are wearing outside the exclusive events. Naturally, photographer and writer Marc Richardson (@shooting.people) was there to capture the best street style on show.
Here, we look back at the top trends and our favourite ‘fits seen outside at Pitti Uomo, Milan Fashion Week, and Paris Fashion Week in January 2024.
As always, Pitti marked the start of the circuit, where the cobblestoned streets of Fortezza da Basso play the perfect backdrop for menswear’s biggest names to conglomerate and converse.
“One of the most glaringly obvious styling trends that emerged at Pitti but that seemed ubiquitous throughout the shows was people using sweaters as scarves — wrapping them over their shoulders both over and under coats and jackets,” says Richardson.
“There were also lots of turtlenecks, on account of the cold, but also because they just look so great. Chunkier ones were worn as proper sweaters, while some used thinner ones as a base layer undershirts or crewnecks.”
The menswear frenzy then moved on to Milan, just a few hours north of Florence though a world away as far as style is concerned. Here, the country’s business and financial capital often implies tailoring and tradition, though this winter’s considerably colder weather cast its effects.
“There was an Arctic breeze sweeping through Europe for the two weeks, and, as such, people were more bundled up than usual,” says Richardson. “Jackets, which are often worn open to reveal innumerable layers, were often buttoned or zipped up, and there were considerably fewer wool sports jackets worn as lightweight jackets.”
Paris was the final stop of the tour and typically showcases the most contemporary and avant-garde approach to style of the bunch. This year, the most interesting themes were all about fabrics and how they blended form with function to best the elements.
“One of the things that I really liked about the January shows, but which felt particularly prevalent this time, was how people play with texture,” says Richardson. “We’re talking corduroy, boiled wool, Shetland sweaters, fuzzy mohair, crushed velour, shearling collars, cable knits.”
“These tend to serve a utilitarian purpose: they’re warmer. But they also bring an interesting aesthetic quality when layered and mixed with other textures and fabrics.”
