by LONDON — The Matchesfashion flame burns bright for Fall 2023.
On Wednesday, the brand shared its predictions for women’s and men’s clothing for Fall 2023 and what they’ll be buying for next season.
In January, private equity investor Apax gave Matchesfashion a vote of confidence in the form of £60m in new financing.
The investment comes on the heels of improved performance under the latest chief executive Nick Beighton, who joined the retailer last summer. The £60m is made up of £40m of fresh capital and £20m of debt.
It represents Apax’s largest commitment to Matchesfashion since it bought the company in 2017 from founders Tom and Ruth Chapman and other investors.
“We will be able to leverage technology, product, logistics and culture to help grow the top line of the business and our profitability,” Beighton told WWD at the time, expressing confidence in his executive team. and in its strategy.
As the retailer enters its 36th year, this is what it has announced for Fall 2023.
As for women, Matches focuses on large bags, flats and sneakers. Bags saw a 290% year-over-year increase, with key styles from Bottega Veneta and Loewe; flats, a TikTok trend of the moment, were up 294% year-over-year. Sneakers were up 133% year-over-year.
Prada fall 2023
Giovanni Giannoni/WWD
There were also increases for leather jackets (79 per cent), day tops (39 per cent), red dresses (23 per cent) and coats (22 per cent).
In menswear, the retailer leaned more towards suits and sportswear. Suits were up 208% and activewear was up 158%. The key brands in which Matchesfashion is investing are Ostrya, Jacques, Norda, Columbia and Houdini.
Shirts enjoyed an 80% year-on-year increase; knitwear, 39 percent; coats, 35 percent and formal shoes, 39 percent.
Loewe man fall 2023
Giovanni Giannoni/WWD
“The tailoring was the star of the show with myriad fabrications and textures articulating the intricate craftsmanship of the famed archetype that is ‘The Suit.’ The mood was one of precision, with the designers showcasing their technical skills with beautifully finished trousers and well-tailored sleeve lengths to showcase suits that can be dressed up for work or more relaxed for everyday,” said Damien Paul, menswear purchasing manager at Matchesfashion.
“What was clear throughout was a more thoughtful approach to dressing, where fit and form allow our client to curate their individual style with some relaxed, boxy cuts and others sharp and subtle,” she added.
Liane Wiggins, head of womenswear at Matchesfashion, agrees that power dressing is back with a new seductive mood.
“This season, power dressing is less focused on borrowing from menswear and instead instilling the feeling of women dressing for themselves with confidence. Fierce tailoring is juxtaposed with a refined and elegant approach. Chiffon blouses with exaggerated trains at Saint Laurent are worn with blazers and cigarette trousers, showing how women will wear this trend in a soft yet edgy way,” she said.
Bottega Veneta autumn 2023
Giovanni Giannoni/WWD
The brands Matchesfashion is promoting for women and men are Alaïa, Bite Studios, Our Legacy, Diesel, Lurline, Róhe, Karu Research and Saman Amel, a Stockholm-based atelier with which the luxury retailer will be working on an exclusive capsule collection .
On both sides of the category at Matchesfashion, buyers find coats to be the season’s highlight, across brands such as Loewe, Khaite, Prada, Lemaire and Jil Sander.
