Women’s skirts are a versatile category with room for growth in 2024. The pre-summer ‘24 collections showcase mini, maxi, asymmetric, wrap, and full skirt styles along with on-trend details like slits, ruching, low rises, and unique textures that retailers should stock up on. Read on for the top 5 influences from the catwalks to help maximize skirt sales next season.
Table of Contents:
1. The column skirt – sartorial to sporty
2. The miniskirt – beyond basic
3. The wrap skirt – office to resort wear
4. The asymmetric skirt – playful proportions
5. The full Skirt – feminine florals
1. The column skirt – sartorial to sporty
From tailored fly-front to casual cargo, column skirts display versatility in styling and occasions with most at in-demand maxi lengths. The stock statement looks featuring satin fabrics, crochet details, and asymmetric slits.
Brands showcase the column skirts’ versatility for Pre-Summer 24, with styles ranging from sartorial-inspired fly-front designs to casual and directional cargo looks. The majority of these skirts sit at maxi lengths, which are on the rise as midi styles experience a decline.
In line with runway inspiration, explore satin fabrics for formal events, openwork crochet to add artisanal flair, and asymmetric side slits to inject subtle sensuality into conservative silhouettes. Statement column skirts confidently anchor outfits for work or play while lending women effortless elegance.
2. The miniskirt – beyond basic
Forecast to grow in the mix, minis get an elevated update with smart wrap shapes, tweeds, and pleating. Leaning into Y2K nostalgia, try low-rises with sheer overlays and lace trims for a trend-right summer feel.
TrendCurve+ is forecasting miniskirts to grow their share of the category mix into S/S 24 in both the US and UK. In Pre-Summer 24 collections, a #SmartenUp aesthetic is seen through the dominance of simple tailored, wrap, and tweed styles. The pleated mini becomes important, capitalizing on the popularity of the skater silhouette.
Directional minis include the summer sensuality mini featuring diaphanous fabrics and lace borders for a flirty Y2K vibe. Work already-adopted wrap and pleated styles into on-trend mini lengths for maximum commercial appeal. Sheer overlays create an alluring dimension while still allowing for modesty.
3. The wrap skirt – office to resort wear
Wrap skirts transform through minimal metallics on asymmetric office-ready looks while breezy sarongs rock split details perfect for tropical getaways. Focus on brilliant hues and mixed media for maximum impact.
Two key wrap styles emerge from the Pre-Summer 24 collections. The first is the careerwear wrap with a smart Minimal Futurist look featuring tailored neatness, #Asymmetric detailing, and #MetalHardware.
The other is the City to Beach-ready #SarongSkirt, carrying summer sensuality appeal with #FabricManipulation and #SplitHem detailing. Offer wraps in both structured professional fabrics juxtaposed with flowing resort-worthy silhouettes to deliver versatile options for multi-occasion dressing.
4. The asymmetric skirt – playful proportions
A-line silhouettes shine longest in asymmetric styles updated with spiraled ruffles, slanted ruching, and flirty hems. Rife with whimsical potential, these draw the eye in the most delightful ways.
Asymmetric-hem skirts are seen in a variety of forms, with the A-line silhouette the most widely adopted by brands for Pre-Summer 24. #Y2K influences bring low-waist, diaphanous variations with godet and spiral ruffle slit hem details.
Explore an asymmetric ruching detail to breathe new life into fitted styles. For breezy asymmetry, look to lightly-gathered A-line shapes accented with flirty ruffles cascading from a slit hip line. These delightfully playful proportions promise to twirl their way into many a customer’s cart.
5. The full skirt – feminine florals
A worthwhile test style, full skirts sway beautifully in flower prints from midi lengths down to maxi. With the right relaxed yet pretty vibe, these classics can find new life with customers seeking a twirl-worthy look.
Occupying a small share of the skirts mix at retail, which continues to decline YoY, the full skirt is a style to test following its emergence within Pre-Summer 24 collections. In long midi to maxi lengths, newness and a youthful quality are added via Collette ditties, among other florals.
The #PrettyFeminine narrative strengthens the case for this classic style, which is also updated with an #Asymmetric hem detail. While a riskier investment, consider testing fuller skirts in signature prints and feminine silhouettes to potentially attract customers looking for a vintage-inspired statement.
Conclusion
Refreshing takes on column, mini, wrap, asymmetric, and full skirts give retailers clear direction from the runways. Stock our highlighted shapes, details, and lengths for resonant product stories that skirt buyers won’t be able to resist. Track sales data diligently to inform future buys in this expanding category.
