FASHION RESOLUTIONS What did we get right in 2023?

As we approach the end of the year, one journalist unveils the celebratory fashion milestones with intel from industry experts.

- CAELAN MCMICHAEL

2023 was the first year after the pandemic when fashion started to exist in the world again," says Steff Yotka, the head of digital content at Ssense. This year, the industry was rebirthed and nursed back to life after a historic hiatus. Fashion weeks were back in full swing, presentations and events were revitalised, showrooms were stocked, and overall, it proved the vitality of face-to-face time and human connection to stimulate the industry. As 2023 comes to a close, a period of reflection is warranted. Unpacking the joyous fashion milestones to highlight what the industry got right this year even if, at times difficult is all but necessary.

Resurrecting after the pandemic, new faces, fresh perspectives and icons emerged in the fashion space, diversifying the audience pool (and extending the tight invite lists). Welcoming a wave of emerging talent, a new level of acceptance and encouragement was embraced. Questioning if 2023 could be labelled the year of championing emerging designers, Yotka certainly admires the strides. "Before the pandemic, things got a bit routine. We consistently saw the same faces and breaking through the wall felt harder. This year, younger editors, stylists and influencers are now welcomed in the room," she says. A celebratory cheer ignites in greeting new voices at the door, offering differing outlooks to challenge a suffocating sameness. "Clothes are made for people to live in and be worn. It's a connective tissue to relate to others, and the industry was back and operating at its highest frequency this year, strengthening that ethos."