Combat Boots Offer the Strength and Utility Shoppers are Looking for Now
On the pulse of fashion's next move, L'OFFICIEL has both predicted and witnessed fashion buying trends shift over the seasons. However, the unexpected happens, and with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry changed in ways that it has never done so before as it was forced to rapidly adapt to disruptions in production and sudden changes in shopping habits. In these unprecedented times, L'OFFICIEL went straight to the source, asking you, the consumers, for your input via Instagram Stories on the most sought-after pieces of the Fall/Winter 2020 runway season. Across the globe, we received over 600,000 responses to our Instagram survey, which helped define some clearly shifting trends.
With an industry-wide consensus to spend money on lasting pieces not trends, 62 percent of women agreed that investing is better than splurging. And what is being invested in—as women move toward closet curation rather than just collection—are utilitarian, practical styles that bring with them a sense of security and strength. In tandem with this choice, women want evergreen pieces that come in neutrals, with a strong favoring of monochromatic and black-on-black looks, down to the accessories. Our survey also reflected that shoppers desire pieces that embrace structure and lean more masculine, finding empowerment in these practical pieces. On the Fall/Winter 2020 runways, one piece emerged as the clear coalescing point for all of these desires: the combat boot. The preferred shoe style of the season, according to our findings, women's combat boots reigned on the runway, from storied fashion houses like Christian Dior and Salvatore Ferragamo to newer labels like Koché.
As safety remains top of mind when venturing outside during the pandemic, it only makes sense that women want to invest in pieces that offer a sense of strength and protection. Regardless of your reasoning, there has never been a better time to purchase pieces that make you feel secure, powerful, and constant in a time when the world around seems ever-changing.
