The SS23 Trend Report, Starring Gracie Abrams

Gracie Abrams is surrounded by a sea of posters of herself. A record-label meeting room has been completely taken over, and she’s halfway through signing copies of the black-and-white image that will soon be her album cover. “I’ve only just started wearing skirts,” she says, gesturing at the pleated mini she’s sporting in the artwork. “I’ve always covered my legs, but recently I’ve had a lot of fun trying to shake that insecurity.”

Fashion, Abrams explains, has played an integral part in helping her feel confident as an artist. In January, she turned heads in a floor-length leather jacket and sheer dress at the front row of Saint Laurent’s FW23 men’s show. “I feel very new to fashion, but it’s become an extension of the music in a way. I’ve struggled in the past trying on clothes and not necessarily feeling like myself in them. Now, I’m more intentional in how I dress; I love wearing tones and color palettes that are in line with how the album makes me feel.”

Now 23, Abrams has been making music since she was eight years old, when she first discovered the cathartic power of songwriting. Growing up in a creative household (her father is the filmmaker J.J. Abrams and her mother, Katie McGrath, is a producer and co-founder of the Time’s Up movement), telling stories was always encouraged – and, in the solace of her bedroom, she penned music that made sense of her feelings. Deeply introspective, it wasn’t until a few years ago that Abrams felt ready to share her music, uploading a demo to YouTube.

She quickly garnered attention, releasing a string of songs that showcased her gentle vocals, deeply candid writing, and ability to create a rousing chorus. I Miss You, I’m Sorry is so introspective that the accompanying video (which has had more than 28 million views) is simply Abrams moping around in her childhood bedroom in the all-too-familiar throes of heartbreak. To make her debut album, Good Riddance, she swapped her intimate set-up to work with The National’s Aaron Dessner (producer to Taylor Swift, Bon Iver and Sharon Van Etten) in Upstate New York. She describes it as “the most fulfilling experience I’ve had making music, ever”.

Abrams will go on tour later this year with Taylor Swift, who has been vocal about how much she loves Abrams. “Taylor really is the greatest,” says Abrams. “I can’t begin to say how much of a significant influence she’s had on my life – even before I met her, she was such an inspiration. But since then, she’s become a really wise friend. I can’t wait to watch her go out and crush it.”

Swift isn’t the only artist to co-sign her. The likes of Phoebe Bridgers and Olivia Rodrigo are also fans (and friends) of the singer, with the latter sharing that one of her biggest singles, Drivers License, was written after driving around listening to Abrams’ I Miss You I’m Sorry. Listening to Good Riddance, it isn’t difficult to join the dots between her gutsy, confessional ballads and the stadium singalongs that propelled Swift and Rodrigo to global-superstar status. Gracie Abrams is a bona fide pop star, and her time is now.

Here, she shares how she’ll be wearing SS23’s key trends…

“I’ve become a massive fan of Loewe over the past few months, and this dress is no exception. If I’m going to wear florals, I tend to do it in a way that is less obvious. They often feel very feminine, which is beautiful, but not what I’m drawn to. With this, I really appreciate the scale of the print and the deep colors. It also felt good on; the dress is so soft, it was like wearing a second skin. It felt casual and effortless. I’d wear it with ballet flats, which I’m loving at the moment, or dress it up with boots and a jacket.”

“I felt super-comfortable and cute in this outfit. I chose these shoes because they reminded me of my beat-up-looking sneakers, which I wear all the time. The colors on the bra are just beautiful. We left the jacket open, and it gave such a nice pop to the outfit. I probably wouldn’t walk down the street without a shirt on, but having the bra straps visible under a white tank would look great… It’s all in the details. The jeans had a raw hem on the waistline, which I loved. The jacket was very structured compared to the jeans, which made the whole look that little bit less casual.”