A Fashion Buyer Told Me the 7 Best Trends to Invest In for Summer 2023

The Luxury List is a monthly column on all things luxury, exploring cult items from heritage brands, tapping the foremost experts in the fashion space, and doing deep dives into the investment pieces that are worth it.

From the best designer investment pieces to upcoming major trends, we're deep in conversation at Who What Wear about what new-season items to shop for with summer coming up. To get a closer look at the best summer shopping and learn which trends will be most impactful, I spoke with Tiffany Hsu, vice president of fashion buying at Mytheresa. These are the ones the retailer has bought into, meaning they have confidence they are about to hit the fashion set in a major way in the coming months.

Key trends range from surrealist shoes to utility pieces to bare-midriff styles. But it is Mytheresa's partnership with Loewe on Paula's Ibiza Collection that Hsu predicts will be most in-demand since it taps into what shoppers want in their closets this season. "Some of the strongest trends of the season, such as double denim, Barbiecore, and Y2K, are exhibited through the continuing collaboration that is Paula's Ibiza x Loewe," Hsu says. "Summer fashion and vacation dressing are all about being carefree and unexpected, which this collection embodies. There is a true focus on the summer season with an emphasis on color, floral prints, and artisan details."

Keep scrolling for a closer look at pieces from the Loewe Paula's Ibiza Collection at Mytheresa and shop Tiffany Hsu's seven top summer luxury fashion trends.

Raffia

"I love Loewe's artistically crafted raffia pieces, and the brand's woven basket bag is continuously a top seller for us. Together we have reimagined it in an exclusive black leather. It's a bit of an edgy take on the soft brown the brand is so well-known for."

Statement Pieces

"Customers are still shopping statement pieces, and I anticipate this will continue as they prepare their summer vacation wardrobes. The standout flower-shaped sunglasses, which were just seen on Sofia Richie Grainge, will be a popular vacation accessory."

Surrealistic Shoes

"Recent seasons have really been all about big surrealistic shoes, and Loewe has nailed it with their unexpectedly fun Bubble Rubber Thong Sandals. We see success and impactful sales when items have a 'wow factor' and are popular on social media. Our customers love to have newness and statement items that are unexpected. Of course, some of these trends aren't for everyone, but they are a treat for the die-hard fashion fan."

Bare Midriffs

"Bare midriff will be even barer next season, as the rise of pants is getting lower and tops are getting shorter. Low-rise denim is a big summer trend, so we will see more skin. This is very much a Y2K trend extension from the late '90s and '00s and is clearly seen in the denim bralette from the recent Paula's Ibiza Collection."

Updated Denim

"We continued to see the rise of denim across runways, and there is no surprise that designers have tailored the trend for the summer. The denim miniskirt is now a wardrobe staple for the season and can be paired with an oversized cropped jacket or a longer, structured blazer."

Utility

"I've always loved anything utility as there are so many ways you can interpret it: khakis, military prints, and cargo pants, to name a few. These silhouettes are usually relaxed and loose-fitting, which is something people look for in the hot summer months. This Paula's Ibiza collection has a khaki drawstring cargo pant that can be easily paired with a white tank top or the coordinating utility jacket."

Animal Prints

"Animal prints never truly go out of style, and this collection plays a unique homage to it with the fish-print denim. It's so different, which I think will make people gravitate toward it even more."

Next: Investment Portfolio: The Top Designer Pieces Worth Buying This Season