In the autumn/winter 2023 collections the overall mood was an appreciation of well-constructed, everyday clothes, and so it’s fitting that the leading style of coat for the season is a classic black coat. This might be the ultimate sensible winter coat, and you’re forgiven for thinking this sounds a little, well, vanilla to be anything worth getting excited about. However the key is all in the execution – as with impeccable tailoring and beautiful fabrics, this coat is elevated to be a scene stealer, rather than your average go-with-everything wool coat.
The AW23 runways made a strong case for the power of the black tailored coat, as this style presided over almost all of the key collections. The most-talked-about coats all have a commanding sharpness, with dominant shoulders, an oversized, tailored fit and are long in stature, typically sweeping just above the ankles.
At Dolce & Gabbana and Stella McCartney the black coats had an hourglass shape, sculpted to define the waist and offer up a glamorous take on the classic. Victoria Beckham (who has been endorsing this herself since March) crafted the ultimate single-breasted long-line tailored coat, while Alaïa, Khaite and Balenciaga offered a more directional take, with gigantic styles which deliberately swamp the frame.
Beautiful black tailored coats have been a mainstay at The Row for years, and the likes of Zoë Kravitz, Jennifer Lawrence and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley have already proven that its cocooning, longline coats are a worthwhile investment. These coats might be the dominant coat trend for AW23, but the irony here is that this is perhaps the most classic coat you could possibly purchase.
This encapsulates the overarching anti-trend mood of the season – instead of high-octane party dressing, the outfits that really commanded attention at the shows for AW23 were real-life everyday coffee-run looks. At Miu Miu, models wore leggings and hoodies underneath their boxy wool coats, while at Gucci it was all about baggy jeans and even baggier blazers.
“It was such a strong season for outerwear with brilliant coats across all of the collections, especially the runway,” Liane Wiggins, Head of Womenswear at MATCHES tells Vogue. “Black coats are such a great wardrobe staple and this season there is a great variety of weights, fabrications and styles – so lots of different ways to invest. Ankle length silhouettes with cinched in waists from Gucci and The Row and Simone Rocha’s embellished style were particular highlights.”
The trick to finding the perfect black coat is to approach this as if you are making a lifetime investment – pay attention to the precision of the silhouette and reach for the best quality that you are able to afford. The aim is to come away with a tailored overcoat you’ll have forever, not just for a winter or two.
