People are craving comfort. Amid what can feel like a state of constant crisis – a layering of traumatic societal events – it can sometimes seem like we’ve lost a sense of scale and cohesion. In the face of this, the desire to retreat into nostalgia is more seductive than ever.

Chunky sneakers, dubbed ‘dad shoes,’ are increasingly popular with younger generations, offering both comfort and nostalgia. Prized for their practicality over their appearance and commonly donned by lawn-mowing fathers, the shoes are fueling resale markets online and inspiring contemporary designs.

Why isn’t digital fashion cutting through? Is fashion delivering on consumer’s DE&I credentials? How will people display distaste for lacklustre climate efforts? In this part of the 2023 Expert Outlook, we speak to three experts about how the search for novelty is shaping the Fashion and Style sector.

Fashion app Lyst released its quarterly rankings, finding that half of the most popular products were luxury flat-soled shoes. High heels and other sartorial staples are being pushed aside, highlighting the growing desire for the convergence of comfort, indulgence, and luxury.

With a series of high-fashion partnerships, UGGs exemplifies the pandemic-era pivot. As people settle deep into comfort wear in lockdown, UGGs is getting a reboot with an approach that shows how a brand can shift from everyday essential to cult item with a few considered collaborations.