Bright Colors

Angelina Jolie at the Golden Globe Awards, donning one of the season's trendiest colors. (Getty Images)

Both experts pointed to one trend that will be difficult to miss on this season’s runways: bright colors.

“We saw a lot of neutrals in spring. As fashion normally goes, the pendulum swings the other way,” said Cernek. “I think we’ll see a continuation of the minimalist theme and silhouettes that we saw in the spring, with a little bit of color.”

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During Fashion Week, Cernek said she expected to see “vibrant and brilliant shades.”

Gonzalez agreed that colors would be making a statement, predicting green and peach as two of the season’s biggest tones. In the midst of the awards season, celebrities like Angelina Jolie have already been rocking these hues on the red carpet.

And most likely, it’s what you’ll be seeing on the streets this season as well.

“I think it’s a little bit of the economy beginning to really rebound,” Gonzalez said. “With the pops of color…you can kind of change up the outfit without totally redoing the wardrobe.”

Versatility and Minimalism

Another trend that may be a sign of the times? Versatility. A jacket that you can also wear as a vest, for instance, makes for a much more solid investment.

“I see people redoing what’s worked in the past and adding a twist to it,” Gonzalez said. “It makes each piece multifunctional.”

But Cernek wasn’t so quick to agree that the economy had an effect on what you see on the runway.

“I don’t think designers are catering to sales results,” she said. “I think they’re still able to be as creative and inventive as they always were.”

Instead, Cernek said, the consumers’ desire to save could be a driving force behind the trend. When money is tight, less is more.

“It makes it easier for the consumer,” she said. A focus on one great piece – like a fitted red jacket or a tailored pair of pants – narrows down a fashionistas need to run out and buy all sorts of accessories.

An Evolving Industry

Off the runway, Winter Fashion Week will spotlight the growing influence of technology on the fashion world, and the new facets of the ever-changing industry that are developing as a result.

Gonzalez’s R.S. Pop Shop is all about using social media and technology to market up-and-coming designers, and provides clients with a branding video to promote the story and style of their clothing line. As Gonzalez points out, the trend is catching on quick.

“The video portion of it is becoming more and more popular,” she said. “You see a lot of bigger brands incorporating it.”

Cernek was also quick to note the influence of technology on the week’s events, and the fashion industry as a whole.

“Five to ten years ago, [Fashion Week] was specifically geared towards runway designers and runway shows, celebrities attending fashion shows,” she said. “In recent years, it’s become a nexus for a wide range of events, more than just runway designers – a lot of blogger events, things with a much bigger range.”

The Evolving Influence Blogger Event, for example, will bring together a multitude of fashion bloggers and experts for panel discussions and seminars on the rapidly growing influence of the style-savvy consumer.