Fall may have just arrived, but the fashion world already has its eyes set on spring, and last month’s various fashion weeks showcased designers’ spring ready-to-wear collections and gave the public a glimpse of what we can look forward to wearing for the upcoming season.

Starting with color, it was monochrome white that stood out. The crisp look was prevalent in numerous collections in all four major fashion week locations. In New York, Prabal Gurung had model Joan Smalls as the opener in an embroidered white jacket covering a sheer top, paired with loose-fitting white trousers and mesh, pointed toe wedges. Nicole Farhi showed in London, and for her last season as creative director of her own line, Farhi’s first look of the collection was a white shift dress featuring a structured fold along the neck and chest.

In Milan, Roberto Cavalli kicked off his collection by sending an all white ensemble consisting of a lace tunic over a slashed leather pant down the runway. Missoni took a surprising turn by starting the show with clean, white designs. Finally, with Paris came Maiyet’s spring collection, where the opening section featured solely white monochromatic outfits. Other shows that had major white moments on the runway include Alexander Wang, Emilio Pucci, Richard Nicoll, Gianfranco Ferr’ÛΩ, Rebecca Minkoff and Sass & Bide amongst many others.

However, on the other side of the spectrum, a darker palette also made an appearance in multiple collections, most notably in two of the biggest shows of Paris Fashion Week –  Lanvin and Saint Laurent. Lanvin’s nearly all-black collection featured beautifully embellished jackets and jumpsuits, as well as all-leather looks. It was not until the end of the show that the structured, jewel tone dresses (this time adorned with large black bows) that Lanvin is so known for made their debut.

As for Saint Laurent, new creative designer Hedi Slimane saved the bright pops of color for the end of his first womenswear collection at the design house, working with mostly black and neutrals for the rest of the looks, which were a tribute to Yves Saint Laurent’s iconic “Le Smoking” tuxedo suit.

Aside from color schemes, certain details could not be escaped this season. Lace was absolutely everywhere in every form. Dresses, tops and pants with lace overlays were all over the runways. Versace used nude and black lace throughout the collection, while Jason Wu impressed fashion lovers with a navy blue, fitted lace jumpsuit, and Brood’s combination of black lace and florals was a hit with critics.

Also, next season won’t be the time to be modest, especially if you plan on taking a cue from Versace, Paul Smith or Preen, all of whom featured dresses and skirts with high rising slits. Plenty of more skin was shown with plunging necklines at Anthony Vaccarello and current fashion industry favorite C’ÛΩline. Balenciaga put out midriff baring tops, and the last few looks of Alexander Wang’s futuristic collection incorporated dresses full of cutouts.

Paul Smith and Preen both stayed on trend again by incorporating sheer panels in their collection. Others who used sheer details were Saint Laurent, Catharine Malandrino and Helmut Lang, where designers Nicole and Michael Colovos also included leather in their spring collection – another big trend for next season as shown at Derek Lam, Rodarte, and more.

As for silhouettes, it was clean, straight lines and slim fits that were most often seen on the runways. Lanvin featured “square” dresses, while at Chalayan, the opening look of a boxy, black coat dress was a standout. Boxy shapes again made an appearance at Balenciaga in the form of crop tops. Also noticeable this season was the emphasis on structured shoulders which could be seen from the likes of Balmain and Narciso Rodriguez.

Lastly, it was the asymmetry from Raf Simons’ first ready-to-wear collection at Dior that really stood out. Amongst the pleated, A-line coat dresses and graphic floral printed, voluminous skirts, were asymmetrical hemmed chiffon gowns, and again asymmetry was created through brightly colored trains off sleeveless dresses and tank tops paired with black shorts. 

With four major fashion weeks to keep up with, narrowing down all that’s seen on the runway to just a few key trends can be tricky, but if the last four weeks have proven anything, it is that we have plenty of great fashion to look forward to this upcoming spring.