The Fashion Memo

Why The Funnel-Neck Is The Silhouette Of The Season

Lightweight, long or leather (as favored by Bella Hadid, far right), there’s a funnel-neck coat to suit every style

A design that started out in the ’50s, the funnel-neck is elegant, flattering and versatile, says LAUREN COCHRANE – making it the comeback coat the street-style set are coveting this season

Fashion

With temperatures dropping, thoughts turn to clothing that keeps you chic and winter-ready throughout the season. Enter funnel-neck outerwear. A blue-chip design detail that frames the face while keeping out any brisk winds, it’s no wonder the no-brainer style is enjoying a moment once again.

Refinement is part of its pedigree. The style dates back to the 1950s, and to designers like Cristóbal Balenciaga and Hubert de Givenchy – men who favored a sculptural mid-century modern design aesthetic. Flattering but also practical, funnel-necks have long been endorsed by women who provide masterclasses in easy elegance – see Audrey Hepburn in a pumpkin-colored Givenchy coat for 1963 film Charade; or a young Gwyneth Paltrow wearing classic Loro Piana sweaters in 1998’s A Perfect Murder.

Taking those references as a jump-off, the funnel-neck for now focuses on instant impact – a catnip quality for those who have a trained eye on fashion as well as busy lives. Paris Fashion Week in October saw the street-style set take it up. Keeping colors muted, the shape was the story: with trench coats in camel, belted tweed styles and leather shackets all featuring the trending neckline.

For editors navigating show season, the simplicity of the funnel-neck was the key – and provided styling tips to consider. Add a pair of sunglasses, with hair in a pared-back bun – or go wet-look and insouciant like Zoë Kravitz at the Saint Laurent show – and you’re good to go. Victoria Beckham – a woman who herself is partial to a funnel-neck – provided a blueprint on the runway. Her long funnel-necked mac, which was worn with straight-leg pants and an oversized tote, is an effortless day-to-night style come winter.

This longer style is perhaps the best place to start with the funnel-neck – because it follows on from the familiar trench. The Row’s ‘Aurore’ is an investment classic that draws on that mid-century heritage, while adding the brand’s unmistakable trademark minimalism; with its water-resistant cotton, it’s a durable choice for wetter days, too. It suits wide-leg tailored pants to complete the long-line silhouette – or cropped jeans and ballet flats à la Kendall Jenner for an update on classic Parisian style. Lemaire’s classic wool belted coat, meanwhile, works for colder days.

The funnel-neck can have a retro-tinged glamour – seen on the runway for brands such as Chloé, where its appearance on leather trench coats helped designer Chemena Kamali’s modern-bohemian summer girl move into a cooler season. Ami Paris’s belted wool-gaberdine coat in deep brown adds a richness – team with similar colors to bring subtle impact. Or there’s Sportmax’s ‘Bairo’. A chocolate-brown shade with a glossy finish, it shows the funnel-neck leaning into its history – especially when paired with a full skirt and a pair of knee-high boots.

Shorter jackets can bring a more playful feel to the funnel-neck – this is the cool-girl take on the trend, the one to wear with jeans. Chloé’s waist-length trench coat, with a brown leather funnel-neck, provides an irreverent take for a perennial off-duty look. Meanwhile, Zimmermann’s ‘Hypnotic’ design, in toffee-colored leather, is a twist on the biker – one that shows that the funnel-neck can be rock’n’roll, too.

You might also look to 1980s-style leather jackets, as seen on Melanie Griffith in Working Girl or – more recently – Bella Hadid, who contrasted hers with the Gen-Z uniform of midi skirt and boots. Proenza Schouler’s deliciously puffy ‘Laney’ jacket layers easily over knitwear, while Saint Laurent’s oversized double-breasted style has the feel of a treasured vintage piece. The brand’s fall/winter ’25 show was a masterclass in how to update an ’80s vibe for now. With almost every look featuring a funnel-neck, combining it with a pencil skirt brings a pleasingly precise silhouette – one that’s an homage to the brand’s legendary founder, but also feels novel. Whichever style you choose, know that the funnel-neck is an outerwear hero this season – think of it as a silhouette that works hard, so that you don’t have to.