The Biggest NYFW Autumn 2024 Trends Include Dramatic Capes & Elevated Athleisure

Fashion month is now in full swing. Following Copenhagen Fashion Week in January, the New York Fashion Week Autumn 2024 shows just wrapped in the Big Apple. The first few stops of the circuit are usually considered a bellwether for what style trends will take shape for the next few weeks. And judging by the latest lineups, it's all about making classic styles take on innovative forms. 

Wrap silhouettes, rich textiles, and statement outerwear will keep us warm come autumn — all embellished with not-so-grandma vintage-inspired accessories and oversized details. Softness is a theme that runs throughout the lineups, as designers prioritised comfortable fabrics, neutral tones, and flowy silhouettes that make the dreaded layering of the cold season a breeze. Ahead, eight of the biggest fashion trends from New York Fashion Week Autumn 2024. 

While we may be used to fluffy shoes, fuzzy sweaters, and teddy coats in the cold months, designers are making a push for other categories in your wardrobe to feel just as fluffy and cosy. Brands like Gabriela Hearst, Aknvas, and Marc Jacobs leaned into plush-like clothing for autumn/winter 2024, including dresses, halter tops, and micro mini shorts in neutral and dark hues. 

There are few sartorial techniques more elegant than draping, which is characterised by a cascading flow of fabric forming a wave-like silhouette. For next season, contemporary designers like Fforme, Kallmeyer, and Maria McManus are betting on this style when it comes to wardrobe essentials. On the other end of the style spectrum, Jason Wu showed an elegant sweater that looked like it was wrapping the model like a hug, while Collina Strada included a draped going-out top and Christian Siriano presented formalwear featuring the technique. 

It’s time to expose your insides — at least, the inside layer of your outfit. For autumn/winter 2024, collars are becoming an essential part of the outfit, with brands like Willy Chavarria and Tommy Hilfiger featuring large, pointed shirt collars settled over blazers and coats. Meanwhile, Altuzarra presented ruffled collars and Anna Suit sent a lace-adorned collar worn over a V-neck dress.

Not all heroes wear capes, but all fashion girlies will come autumn. The classic silhouette is taking on refreshed forms for the cold-weather season. Tibi and Ulla Johnson, for example, styled cardigans as capes, while Marina Moscone showed a scarf-like version. The ladylike style was also on display at Carolina Herrera and Brandon Maxwell with more traditional takes that included cape dresses and tails. 

There’s been a lot of talk about the 2010s comeback and, based on the autumn/winter 2024 runways, that includes ruffles. While back in the Tumblr days it was all about oversized ruffles, this time the classic embellishment is taking a softer approach: Batsheva featured a black ruffled collar with a matching maxi skirt, while Area displayed a maxi skirt with ruffles lined up to create flowers and Bach Mai sent out a sheer dress with a peplum-like ruffle detail. 

The Y2K rosettes and the brooch trend took over fashion a few seasons ago, and for autumn/winter 2024, it’s all about combining the two. Enter: the rosette brooch. Designers like Collina Strada, Sandy Liang, and Tory Burch featured the accessory, ranging from classic leather buds to a black version that resembled award ceremony ribbons. Next autumn, when all your coats start looking the same, just add a rosette brooch. 

Offices may be back in full swing, but that’s not stopping designers from leaning into athleisure. While hoodies-under-outerwear is a common styling trick by now, brands like Michael Kors, Aknvas, LaPointe and Coach proposed some fresh takes on elevated athleisure. Aknvas’ version included a gold hood trim under a fur coat for a night out, while the classic skirt suit at Michael Kors took on a sporty twist with a simple black hoodie underneath. Rather than leave the hood down by the neck, Tory Burch featured a sheer lavender hoodie worn over the model's head and with a leather skirt.

It’s been hard to escape the bow trend for the past few months. And, based on the autumn/winter 2024 runways, they’re not going anywhere. Yet, the trend is evolving: it’s now less gimmicky and more elegant and grown-up. Take, for example, the lineup at Sandy Liang — a longtime purveyor of bows — which included a skirt suit with tiny bows on the front, as well as Coach, which embedded bows of full skirts and going out tops, and Wiederhoeft, which featured a train of bows on a coat.