Spotlight on coats

As the leaves begin to brown we see women’s outerwear bucking the trend for autumnal hues, in favour of cool wintry shades and plaid patterns. Stella McCartney and Jason Wu were among the womenswear designers embracing this aesthetic in their collections, with blazer-style jackets a key transitional coat to covet this season.  

Steely hues also showed up at Lutz Huelle and Max Mara, who showed unstructured longline blazers in varying shades of grey. Christian Dior, No. 21 and Mira Mikati all chose to sidestep rainy day palates in favour of colour in their respective coat ranges, switching out dove and slate tones for forest green, red gingham and purple tartan. Armani and Patrizia Pepe offer a great blazer selection each season, so make them your first port of call for this must-have AW21 hero piece.  

Winter coats for her are oversized and ultra cosy for AW21, providing the perfect way to warm up when the temperatures take a dip. It’s a mood very much inspired by staying snug and spending more time indoors, with silhouettes and shapes taking a direct influence from none other than the humble dressing gown.  

In a move away from structure and fit, designers are embracing comfort this season, with billowing sleeves and loose shapes replacing angular tailoring. It’s a more relaxed aesthetic than we’ve seen in recent seasons, with colour also taking a backseat in favour of tonal shades, as shown at Issey Miyake, Max Mara Atelier and Les Copains. Check out the likes of Maje and Adolfo Domínguez for this essential new season coat, opting for belted styles that wouldn’t look out of place thrown over your PJs.   

Transitional coats for him are turning up the volume on colour for AW21 with daring red outerwear debuted on the runways of Gabriela Hearst, Louis Vuitton and Ermenegildo Zegna. Seek out lightweight trenches and utilitarian cropped jackets in bold pops of rainbow red, being sure to avoid washed-out hues in favour of fire engine and pillar box shades.  

Meanwhile, wax jackets are also making a comeback for autumn/winter for him in a trend that’s seeing heritage patterns and fabrics making a triumphant return to wardrobes. Corduroy jackets in retro golden browns are yet another key transitional coat he’ll want to invest as the season begins. Look for these in Hackett and Sandro sticking to earthy coffee and caramel tones to emphasise the retro mood.  

Long-line trenches and belted wool coats are everything he needs to stay stylish in the cold this winter ‘21. Opt for off-white and camel colourways, as seen at Dries Van Noten, Fendi and Louis Vuitton, or plump for contrast geometric stripes as showcased by Ermenegildo Zegna. Both styles are a key staple of the wrap coat trend for AW21, an outerwear mood echoed across the menswear runways.  

Elsewhere, rich copper hues – circa the 1970’s – and timeless black also made an appearance for him, with Burberry among the designers opting to keep it classic this season. Double breasted trenches and oversized wool coats, secured with a coordinating tie belt (that offer more than a passing resemblance to dressing gowns) are what you want to aim for. Forgo waist-skimming styles in favour of calf lengths, taking your cues from Scalpers, Pedro del Hierro and Tommy Hilfiger.