It's Confirmed: These 8 2025 Trends Are Elite, According to Nordstrom’s Associate Fashion Director

Long before a trend hits the racks or trickles its way through TikTok, there's always someone who cosigns its entrance into the group chat again—usually, it's a fashion director. Let's be clear: trends can emerge from any aspect of culture, but that doesn't mean you can always buy them everywhere. Without the dedicated team of fashion buyers, editors, and directors behind the scenes, you couldn't find the season's hottest brands or biggest trends at our favorite retailers. It takes a certain level of expertise not only to keep up with everything happening in pop culture but also to predict what will become popular in broader culture in the coming months.

While plenty of experts out there have honed in on the art of predicting what's next in fashion, none are as talented as Nordstrom's team, IMHO. No, I'm not biased (although it might seem so sometimes)! Nordstrom checks all the boxes, period. Whether you're trying to find new staples, new brands, or adopt a few new trends, Nordstrom has it all. The curation has always been tapped into the culture, so of course, it's only natural I'd want to turn to their creative team to figure out what they've currently got in their sights for the coming year. Luckily for me, Nordstrom's Associate Fashion Director, Linda Cui Zhang, obliged.

Ahead, you'll get a breakdown of the eight fashion trends their team predicts will be around throughout 2025, including alternative staples, statement pieces, and their must-shop brands. Plus, we've included curation of some of the trendiest items to shop at Nordstrom right now (in case you're feeling inspired). Consider this your peek behind the curtain into what's to come in 2025.

WHO: Linda Cui Zhang, Nordstrom’s Associate Fashion Director

For those who might not work in fashion, how would you describe the duties of your role as a fashion buyer? And what do you enjoy most about your role?

LCZ: As Nordstrom’s Associate Fashion Director, I support our product curation by developing the themes and stories we share with our customers. I partner closely with my buyers and often attend market appointments with them to review and assort collections. My two favorite parts of the job are meeting brands and designers and picking products that align with fashion stories.

We can’t discuss Nordstrom’s excellent curation without highlighting the platform’s seasonal edits. Are there any specific trends you feel are essential investments for 2025? Why?

LCZ: There are currently a few trends that can refresh the existing staples (or act as new basics) in your wardrobe...

LCZ: One of the first things I'd recommend investing in for the new year is a technical jacket, such as an oversized parka or barn jacket. Our buying team knew this would be a big trend when we spotted technical outerwear in the S/S 25 collections of Miu Miu, Brandon Maxwell, and Isabel Marant. But beyond the fact that this outerwear is currently trending, what cemented it as a must-have for the season (for me) is that it's incredibly versatile. Barn or parka jackets can bring relaxed ease to everything from romantic dresses to oversized shirts and jeans.

LCZ: The second item worth investing in for the season is an east-to-west handbag. Characterized by its sleek, elongated shape, the east-west bag became popular in the '90s but has recently reemerged on the runway—most notably in Alaïa, Ferragamo, Tod's Khaite, and Bottega Veneta's collections. Because of its unique structure, it's the ideal handbag to add to a capsule wardrobe as it's functional and will add an elegant finishing touch to your everyday dressing.

LCZ: For those looking to reboot their work wardrobe in the new year, I'd recommend investing in a pair of capri or kick-flare pants. While relaxed suiting may have played a significant role in previous runway shows, we've seen that shift in F/W 24 and S/S 25 collections. From Toteme to Sandy Liang to Max Mara to Tory Burch to Theory, we've seen the adoption of slimmer pant shapes in every form—albeit capri pants, cigarette trousers, kick-flare pants, or pedal pushers. It's a sharp take on tailoring that will give your staples a fresh edge this season.

LCZ: Another trend that lends itself to being a solid investment for the spring is boat shoes. We can trace the resurgence of this trend back to Miu Miu's Spring 2024 runway show, which featured the maritime-inspired flat throughout their collection. However, the shoe trend didn't make waves until a tidal wave of other F/W 24 and S/S 25 collections featured the footwear style—e.g., Loewe, Monse, JW Anderson, and Bally. Since then, we've seen the style set to embrace the trend in droves, which we're all aboard because we believe they can add a nautical spirit to all your outfits (even when it's not the summertime).

Obviously, not every trend lends itself to potentially becoming an everyday staple. But are there any other current trends you think are worthwhile investments, even if they're not as "pragmatic"?

LCZ: Yes! When shopping for the new season, it's not about skipping every trend but embracing a few that reflect your perspective. Personally, our buying team is excited about the following trends...

LCZ: Frankly, there's no better way to break up the monotony of your basics than buying into a new color trend. Although there are quite a few shades poised to take over this season, we're personally excited about the colorful neutrals we've seen in the F/W 24 and S/S 25 collections of Ferragamo, Gucci, Tod's, Victoria Beckham, and Bottega Veneta. Whether in the form of deep reds or rich greens, we love that these colors act as an 'alternative neutral' that can bring depth to our wardrobe's palettes. Plus, there are many ways to incorporate these colorful neutrals into your wardrobe—from knitwear to shoes to accessories—making it one of the easiest trends to adopt in 2025.

LCZ: If color isn't your thing, you can add visual depth to your wardrobe by embracing texture. More specifically, you can adopt the suede trend we've seen surface in the F/W 24 and S/S 24 collections of Chloé, Ralph Lauren, Miu Miu, and many others. Whether in the form of a soft suede jacket, a suede skirt, or a carryall suede bag, you can use this trend to add dimension to your outfits—e.g., a dose of suede can make summer whites even more sophisticated. We advise treating suede as a seasonless fabrication that you can add to your rotation now but wear throughout the year.

LCZ: When you don't want to play with embracing newer color palettes or different textures, the next best thing is to go bigger and bolder with your jewelry. Statement jewelry not only stands out against your winter layers but can also add personality to your spring essentials. But if that's not enough to convince you, the F/W 24 and S/S 25 collections will surely do the trick. From chunky cuff bracelets to layered necklaces to oversized rings to '80s-inspired clip-on earrings, there was no shortage of different types of statement jewelry on the runway this season—making it one of the safest ways to incorporate a trend into your closet this season, on your terms.

LCZ: Statement heels are another accessory trend we predict will be all over in the coming months. But we're not the only ones feeling excited about embracing a bit of height with our heels this year, as you can find examples of the fun footwear across the F/W 24 and S/S 25 collections. Designers have taken the trend to new heights by embracing statement pumps and adding sculptural hardware, crystal embellishments, and even metal heels (see Tory Burch, Saint Laurent, and Gucci). With so many variations of statement heels on the market, we can't think of a better way to step into the new year.

Not only does your buying team do an incredible job of curating up-and-coming trends, but your curation of incredible brands, too. Are there any brands that you feel will be big in 2025?

One of the great things about working at Nordstrom is that we get to work with so many incredible brands. But there are a few that I'm currently predicting will be big this year, including Doen, Pixie Market, Staud, Miu Miu, Chloé, The Row, Toteme, and Sperry. We feel that these brands have not only mastered the art of tapping into current trends but have been at the forefront of making them. Additionally, we'd recommend putting a few rising labels on your radar for the year: Teurn Studios, Julie Kegels, L'Enchanteur, and Paloma Wool. I feel they'll be big with Nordtrom shoppers in the coming year.

Lastly, what parting advice would you give our readers about discerning what's worth buying in the new year?

LCZ: Go with your gut! Oftentimes, you know whether or not a trend will be a pragmatic investment for you. But if you’re still unsure, you always try on things at your local Nordstrom before you buy them! It's a fail-proof way to ensure that the trends our team has bought into are something you'd want to buy, too.