Brands to Look Out For in 2023

During 2022, fashion designers showcased their FWSS 2023 looks, and there are a handful of brands that are redefining their legacies through new directors and collaborations that you should look out for this year. Lucky for you, they are luxury labels and streetwear brands that you can find in our stores across the country, and on our online store!
Written by Kristine Banuelos

Luxury Fashion Labels

Gucci

Last year, Gucci released collaborations with streetwear brands, such as Adidas and The North Face, causing a merge in style codes where luxury met streetwear. The house’s line included sport-inspired pieces playing off of the sportswear-turned-streetwear brand, and featured the iconic three lines in its designs. The North Face x Gucci line included styles that stay closely aligned with The North Face’s signature looks, such as puffer and anorak jackets.

During Milan Fashion Week SS2023, Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele showcased a “Twinsburg” effect where the audience was seeing double! The collection challenges the notions of identity and individuality with models wearing duplicate outfits while being alike and unalike. Twins strutted the runway in revamped 90s and 2000s strict suits featuring revealing cutouts and garters that served as trousers, bejeweled and glittery Hollywood glamor looks, along with more playful cutouts and patterns.

Michele announced his departure from the fashion house in November 2022, and Gucci recently announced their new creative director: Sabato De Sarno. De Sarno’s first show will launch this September, so stay tuned for the changes that are to come!

Rick Owens

Early last year, Rick Owens and Champion continued their ongoing collaboration and partnership to create a unisex collection of athleisure, accessories, and swimwear. Later that fall, Owens reinterpreted the maya jacket for Moncler as they celebrated their 70th anniversary. All while dropping shoe collaborations with Converse and Dr. Martens, offering them a new look for the Chuck 70 High Tops, and the 1460 and 1918 Doc Martens.

Fashion’s Prince of Darkness brought his signature color (black, of course), leather materials, and apocalyptic energy to his Spring 2023 collection. Along with an aesthetic change, frothy silhouettes, whimsical tulle, and gorgeous colors walked down the runway showcasing just that. But the FW2023 collection brought out Owens’ inner darky mystery and thinking on the modesty that is highly considered when thinking of the Victorian era. Therefore creating a collection that would make you rethink by showing pieces that leave the chest area bare, continues to put men in skirts and make it a norm, and making the boots knee-high.

From avante-garde to avante-apocalypse, Owens’ creative, experimental, and playful aesthetic has continuously made him popular amongst his newfound Gen Z cult following.

Louis Vuitton

Known for its iconic monogram handbags, Louis Vuitton is another luxury brand that took its legacy to new heights by reinterpreting their high fashion line with streetwear, hip-hop, and Black talent. The Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 collaboration was released at the beginning of 2022, followed by a Fall/Winter 2022 collection by Virgil Abloh, the Artistic Director of Menswear. It was the last collection he worked on before his sudden passing later that year.

Despite the tragedy, Louis Vuitton ended the year strong by collaborating with contemporary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. The colorful painted dots, infinity dots, metal dots, and psychedelic flowers have revived the luxury brand's signature look in this creative and lively collaboration that is Kusama’s world!

Louis Vuitton’s cutting edge fashion paid homage to its roots of being solely a leather goods company by enhancing the characteristics of its handbags on the runway during SS2023 Fashion Week. Enlarged accessories like the cloche clés key holder and leather luggage tags, down to the zipper were enlarged to be statement pieces on the outfits. And now with Pharrell Williams appointed as the new Men’s Creative Director, we can only wait with anticipation to see what type of statement he makes with the reveal of his first collection for Louis Vuitton in June.

Heaven by Marc Jacobs

Heaven by Marc Jacobs has become a Gen Z fashion obsession with its nostalgic 1990s grunge and raved inspired clothing. This surge of younger fans revisiting music genres from sub-cultures contributes to the aesthetic that Gen Z is seeking now, and can be seen in GRWM and styling videos on platforms such as TikTok.

This year’s Spring 2023 capsule collection features some grunge-like essentials, such as safety pins, silver jewelry like chains, rings, and bracelets, and a magazine with Courtney Love gracing the cover. Baby and sport tees, cargo pants and mesh, and Deftones graphics can also be seen throughout the collection.

Nostalgia of eras like the 90s and early 2000s is what has fashion enthusiasts’ hearts throbbing, and Heaven has their finger on that pulse.

Miu Miu

Miuccia Prada had a spring collection of muted tones, brown leathers, and created dystopian-like styles reminiscent of utilitarian 90s minimalism. The Italian designer revisited and reimagined her previous works from the late 90s that were a success and introduced them into this year’s collection: belt bags, pleated knee-length skirts, and short-shorts. The collection also included materials and styles like nylon raincoats, distressed leather, puffed vests, and oversized cargo pockets. All contributing to a fashion culture that could possibly be seen and utilized in a post-apocalyptic world.

We are familiar with dystopian and post-apocalyptic books, movies, and shows that have been popularized, such as The Hunger Games and The Last of Us. Although these narratives might have addressed and exposed some anxieties about not knowing what the future has in store for us, Miu Miu is dressing and preparing us as if the apocalypse were to happen tomorrow.

Chanel

The French luxury house of Chanel unveiled their SS2023 collection that was inspired by Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment at 31, rue Cambon. Virgine Viard, Karl Lagerfeld’s prtoégé, took on a loose, fun, and whimsical approach to this season’s collection resulting in corgis in sequin across tweed jackets, leaping bunnies embroidered on sheer dresses, and a bridal veil dotted with dozens of embroidered swallows. Tulle, lightness, transparencies, and lace contributed to the dreamy effect of the whimsical parade of clothes on the runway.

Accompanying the whimsical parade was a segment of the collection’s styling that was inspired by baton-twirling majorettes. Chanel borrowed their uniform’s style code of a top hat, bow tie, white gloves, laced boots, satin cape, pleated skirt, jackets double-breasted or with tails, tuxedo shirt, sequins, short shorts, and petticoats. From the tulle to the top hats, Chanel’s fairy-like parade is a showstopper on and off the runway!

Prada

Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons presented a unique SS2023 collection that caters to different needs that are elegant yet understated. In the past, Miuccia and Simons have discussed and presented collections on the topics of uniforms and gender identity, and we can see that showcased in this year’s collection as well.

The collection created a duality of being one step in the world, and one step at home with its tailored uniforms, union suits, blazers, and coats. The colors of the clothing ranged from pastel tones to a rich color palette. And when it comes to styling for work, Prada’s motto is to throw a blazer on the outfit and call it a day. For fun, layer it under a sheer dress and head out to play. Mary Janes in a rainbow color palette tied all the outfits together, adding a timeless, stylish, and comfortable element to the theme Prada created this season.

Streetwear Brands

New Balance

From the “dad joke” to a closet essential, New Balance has come a long way over the years. Teddy Santis took on the role as the Creative Director for New Balance Made in USA beginning in 2022, and previously served as Aimé Leon Dore’s Creative Director since the founding of the company in 2014. With his vision, Santis spearheaded a resurgence of New Balance with collaborations, and now, the fashion brand’s cycle of life has come full circle with an upcoming Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 550 collaboration that should reach retail before the end of the year.

As we have come to notice, collaborations where streetwear meets luxury have continued to rise, and are forecasted for this year as well. During Men’s Paris Fashion Week FW2023, Junya Watanabe’s collection featured a surprise collaboration with the sneaker brand. The collaboration revealed styles that revamped New Balance’s signature 650 and 1906 silhouettes with Junya Watanabe’s well-known neutral hues. The unforeseen partnership between New Balance and Miu Miu last year caught some people by surprise. They have reunited this year to continue the crafted, distressed look of the 574s, and expanded its color range.

To accompany the shoe collaboration drops, New Balance also revamped their fashion apparel to complement the demand from the footwear output. From head to toe, New Balance is giving a new look to the “dad shoe” image previously created.

Stussy

Stüssy is a brand that has been many people’s first introduction to streetwear, and they have been in the game for over 40 years now. Through collaborations and existing partnerships, Stussy has launched projects and seasonal collections that continue to make it a streetwear veteran.

The brand’s SS2023 collection awakened everyone this spring with its vibrant pieces, featuring seasonal hues and distinct patterns. Not to mention a collaboration that launched last month with Nike releasing the Nike x Stüssy Air Penny 2 collection that includes both footwear and apparel. Users on platforms like Tiktok and Instagram have highlighted the brand’s pieces that prove to be standout staple items, but also show the streetwear staples that have muted tones and minimalist designs.

Their legacy continues to be strong because of their smart thinking, partnerships, and simply because their clothes are truly good despite being in a fickle, fast fashion world. Stüssy will continue being that gift that just keeps on giving!

Supreme

Supreme continues to reign, well, supreme with its intentionality on how they are using their platform. For example, donating proceeds from a collaborative collection with Futura last June to Free Art NYC, a charity that provides art programs for children in underserved communities in New York City. And it continued its reign through strategic collaborations with luxury brands like Burberry last spring, and streetwear brands such as Stone Island and The North Face followed suit.

Supreme recently released their Spring/Summer 2023 Lookbook featuring a range of styles from varsity jackets to puffer jackets, sweater vests to sweaters, and more. The collection features new collaborations and continued partnerships like a Supreme x Mitchell & Ness sequin varsity jacket, a Supreme x Vanson Leathers racing jacket, and GORE-TEX shell jackets, cargo pants, and parkas. Its long line of accessories touched upon everything from nostalgia with their camouflage revival of Tamagotchi and a Supreme air hockey table, to home essentials with a Staub cocotte and a set of heller bowls!

The decades-year-old brand has 15 stores across the United States, Europe, and Asia, and is continuing its expansion with plans on moving into South Korea. Whether you love it or hate it, Supreme’s hype still reigns strong over its global mass following.

These are just a few of the brands that we have collected as a selection that you should keep an eye out for throughout the year. You can discover, explore, and shop these brands in your local 2nd Street store and on our online store as well!