The Best Denim of the 2023 Pre-Fall Collections

In recent years the post-pandemic fashion industry’s seasonal calendar has become rather blurred, with brands choosing to stick to their own schedule rather than feel pressured to adhere to previous industry standards. So, with the overwhelming number of pre-fall, resort, cruise, SS, F/W and couture shows, plus separate mens and womens schedules, it’s harder to create defined round-ups. The good news is we get a glimpse into new ideas and inspiration almost year-round so as the roll in of Pre-Fall lookbooks begins to slow, we’ve rounded the top 7 most denim centric collections of the season.

Off season shows present an opportunity for brands and designers to play to a larger segment within the luxury markets and tend to be more unrestricted for designers, allowing them to set their own intention for the season. That could mean testing out and experimenting with new ideas, creating jet-set worthy collections or simply helping their customers transition their wardrobes into the next season. There is less pressure to comply with traditional and season specific silhouettes, styling, even fabric and color.

This season Glenn Martens sat down with Vogue’s Luke Leitch to remind us that the “for everyone” attitude of Diesel is still running strong.  “Because Diesel is not a luxury brand, and this is important to remember. This means that our pre-collections—unlike say Louis Vuitton or Balanciaga who speak in ‘pre’ to the same customer as [the] main line—are for a different audience than our shows, although there is some overlap. Our shows are more for people in the fashion industry, while with our pre-collections we try to speak to everyone; my brother, my mother, teenagers in high schools… everyone. So it is a very different exercise for me.” Said Martens. 

Conjuring up a much more commercial feel than his mainline shows, for Pre-Fall 2023 Martens continued to focus on portraying the ‘sexy, fun, cool kid’ vibe of the brand while entertaining us with his signature play on design details and branding. Trompe l’oeil, indigo knitwear, denim footwear and bold silhouettes are still a strong signature of Martens collection aesthetics. The collection featured floor length skirts, dresses and of course jeans, their iconic denim accessories, denim on denim looks and the viral belt-skirt hybrid also made it back for another season.

In our opinion, R13 are true pioneers when it comes to directional denim silhouettes, washes, seasonless dressing and strong brand DNA. And their Pre-Fall 2023 collection preached just that. However this season played to a more simplistic tone than we are used to seeing from the brand, rather than the usual grungy, over the top feel that R13 regularly conjures. “I was trying to get a palette that could be delivered in June and live on, but I was also feeling like last season we did so much color and pattern, that I just had to simplify,” said Designer Chris Leba when explaining the collection at his Pre-Fall preview in Soho.

Heavily influenced by his vast technical knowledge of garment construction, when most other designers are guided by visuals and aesthetics, it’s the technical execution of playfully reimagined basics and everyday wardrobe staples, that give R13 its ‘cool and careless’ factor. Along with the revamped return of R13’s iconic denim cowboy boots, further solidifying the 2020’s as the decade of the denim boot, this collection featured a play on proportions.  “The silhouette starts slim at the top with the jackets, and then goes wide into the pants and pours into the boot,” said Leba, directly correlating with Gen-Z’s affinity for all-engulfing silhouettes. With an array of fits and washes, the denim was streamlined yet versatile, a clear move on from last season, while maintaining the level or innovation, craftsmanship and quality that have earned the brand its loyal following.

Vogue writer Tina Isaac-Goise put it best when she said “At MM6 Maison Margiela, the new “Avant Premiere” collection begs for a better word than unisex.” And we couldn’t agree more. MM6 excels at bringing a new twist to garments each season that feel exciting and new to customers, while maintaining the distinct Margiela flavor that keeps customers coming back season after season. 

MM6’s Pre-Fall 2023 denim range featured a boxy, genderless aesthetic with beautifully washed down, 80’s open end looks topped with dirty fades and tints. Double denim looks and column skirts also reigned supreme. While, what is clearly a design favorite this season, baggy, oversized, floor lengths were also tapped by the brand. While their indigo washes never cease to impress us, this season their black denim finishes incorporated a play on some of the most iconic fade features, the honeycomb. Large, all-over, textural honeycombs have been exaggerated and finished over the entire garments. Over all, the denim selection continued to stay very ‘on-brand’ at a time where many designers and companies are experimenting and chasing what the algorithms might be pushing consumers towards next. A refreshing reminder that strong brand handwriting and a good wash will always be on trend.

Rather than looking to turn the next generation of consumers onto the brand, Givenchy designer Matthew Williams decided to draw inspiration from the fashion house’s origins and founder, while maintaining his keen sense for contemporary design. “I spent some time with his family and they were showing me some of his old sketches, actually from when he was at Schiaparelli before he started his own brand. He was so creative. And it’s just so interesting to see how early a lot of the design codes that formed his design language were created. It’s very cool.” said Williams. 

While tapping back into the brand’s core DNA of mid-century womenswear paired with William’s more practical approach to clothing for the majority of the collection, Givenchy’s denim selection remained fresh and on-trend.  Low rise, baggy cargos, floor lengths, orange overdyes and denim tote bags were some of the key statement pieces of the season. Elevated pieces paired with simplistic styling also nod’s to the ‘less is more’ attitude of this decades streetwear styling.

“Utilitarian and sensual” were the words used most by designer Michelle Ochs when describing her Pre-Fall 2023 collection to Vogue writer Jose Criales-Unzueta. Oches earned herself a cult following for her incredibly well fitting, ‘it girl’ vibed slinky dresses and sexy jersey ensembles. She first tapped our favorite blue textile for her Resort ‘23 collection back in June and has since lended her signature aesthetic to several denim looks per season. 

Her denim pieces this season included a duster length, asymmetrical denim coat featuring a bellows pocket and detailing reminiscent of a utility vest, as well as clean and technically crafted knee cut outs where we would traditionally see large distressed breakages on jeans. Her sleek yet utilitarian denim detailing pairs particularly well with her tonal, glossy jersey looks. Ochs also incorporated recycled parachute fabric for her own rendition of a Gen-Z favorite, the cargo / parachute pant. Directional yet simplistic items are the main takeaway from Et Ochs’s Pre-fall 2023 collection, “I try to make dressing as simple as possible for our woman,” Ochs told Vogue. She has incorporated the idea of ‘pre-styling’ which has become a recurring theme for off season shows, exemplifying how designers use these collections to connect with more commercial consumers and streamline the wardrobe building process with pieces from a single brand.

Louis Vuitton Menswear hasn’t quite hit the same since Virgil Abloh’s passing, however LV’s Pre-Fall 2023 Menswear line nodded to the icon’s influence on the brand with nods to Abloh’s signature playful logo interpretations throughout. The lookbook moves through what feels like mini collections from racing and motorsport inspired looks, tailored pieces and late summer travel wear. Denim also played heavily into the season with denim on denim separates complete with signature jacquard logos. Workwear detailing and leg panels are seen throughout the denim range from full length, straight leg silhouettes to jorts, layered over simple green cast dark washes and marbled light washes. Louis Vuitton is another brand that is leaning into denim accessories this season. A heartfelt nod to the late creative director was the introduction to an illustration called speaker man. A cartoon graphic inspired by the models who wore massive speakers during the spring 2023 show in June, a tribute to Abloh’s DJ career.

All in all, the Pre-Fall shows are getting us in the mood for the official fashion week schedule to start in January! While some presentations gave us a preview of what we might expect to see on the runway next season, others offered a more toned down and everyday appeal suitable to a larger consumer audience. But if this season cemented anything into our 2023 trend confirmations, it is definitely that loose and oversized silhouettes continue to have a strong presence, along with gender fluid design and styling. Playful branding and logo interpretation are becoming an elevated way for consumers to rep their favorite designers without logo fatigue. The comeback of denim accessories continues in a more elevated and premium direction than seen previously. And above all experimental silhouettes, dirty tints, unorthodox colorways, and impeccably crafted washes will continue to define denim design through 2023.