Autumn/Winter 2020 was a menswear season defined by quiet confidence. As the fashion calendar shifted and the industry recalibrated, designers responded with collections that prioritised substance over spectacle — rich textures, considered silhouettes, and an earthy colour palette that felt both grounded and genuinely modern. Here are the key trends that defined the season and how to carry them forward.
Relaxed Tailoring
The sharp, close-cut suit continued its slow retreat in favour of something easier and more human. AW20 brought roomy, unstructured blazers worn with wide-leg trousers — often in matching tonal fabrics that created a cohesive, intentional look without the rigidity of traditional tailoring. The key pieces were single-button suits in heavyweight wool and oversized blazers in tweeds and checks, worn over simple crew-neck knits rather than shirts and ties.
"The best menswear this season felt like it was made for living in — not for performing in."
Earthy Colour Palette
Browns, burnt oranges, deep olives, and slate blues dominated AW20 collections. This shift toward organic, earthy hues reflected a broader cultural moment — a turning toward warmth, naturalness, and a rejection of the clinical whites and harsh blacks that had dominated menswear for years. Building a wardrobe around these tones is straightforward: they are inherently harmonious and easy to layer without creating clashing combinations.
Heavy Outerwear
Outerwear was the hero category of AW20 menswear. Long overcoats in camel and charcoal, shearling-lined jackets, and military-influenced field coats were everywhere. The silhouette trended long — hitting at the knee or below — and the construction was deliberately heavy, prioritising substance and warmth over lightness. If there's one investment piece worth picking up from this season's direction, it's a quality long overcoat in a neutral tone. It remains relevant seasons after season.
Texture & Fabric Play
AW20 was as much about how things felt as how they looked. Bouclé, tweed, thick ribbed knit, heavy flannel, and corduroy were used not just for warmth but as expressive design elements. Mixing textures within a single outfit — a corduroy trouser with a bouclé jacket, or a ribbed knit under a smooth wool coat — became the hallmark of the best-dressed men of the season. It's a technique that adds visual and tactile depth without requiring bold colour or pattern.
Styling It Now
The most enduring pieces from AW20 are the ones that earn their place in a wardrobe through usefulness, not novelty. A quality long coat, a relaxed suit in an earthy tone, and a selection of heavy-knit separates will carry you through multiple seasons and always look considered. Build slowly, invest in fabric quality, and prioritise fit above all else.