Everyone Needs to Own A Grey Wool Skirt This Winter–Here’s Why
“I have three grey wool skirts on a perennial loop: a Forza Collective full pleat number, my Saks Potts skirt set with a little cropped matching jacket, and a speckled centre-split ankle length skirt from MKDT,” says Isabella Rose Davey, the forever stylish COO of Copenhagen Fashion Week, who has spent the past six years in the Danish capital. “I am a creature of habit, and while my boyfriend will vouch for my expansive wardrobe as a continued point of contention in our fight for space in our little Copenhagen apartment, I tend to wear the same set of clothes regularly. A good boot, a great jumper, and a smart skirt is an equation I tend to repeat.”
For me, a similar equation applies, if you swap out a cozy knit for a crisp shirt for sharpness or a striped rugby polo for ease, and loafers or slim retro sneakers in lieu of good boots. When it comes to outerwear, well, the options are endless–be it a nylon bomber, leather jacket or coordinating wool coat–the pleated skirt goes with everything. “When I think of the wonderful uniformity of a grey wool skirt, my natural association is to pair it with something unexpected, as much complementary,” Davey adds.
On the fall/winter 2025 runways, the grey wool skirt was everywhere—from Prada’s crumpled, cropped and deconstructed versions to Vaquera’s oversized pleats and buckled belts, paired with inky silk shirts. Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood offered a punkish twist, with one side cut raw to reveal the leg, rendered in tweed.
The spring/summer 2026 shows also confirmed the skirt’s staying power. One grey wool pencil skirt in particular, at Matthieu Blazy’s reimagined Chanel, has already jumped to the top of my dream wish list – fastened with gilded buttons at one side, worn low on the hip with a matching cropped jacket and finished with a thin belt. Meanwhile, other brilliant streamlined and full-skirted versions also appeared at Vetements, Fendi and Jil Sander.
Off the runway, the grey wool skirt has found its place in pop culture, too. Just this week on The Traitors, Claudia Winkleman wore a perfect pleated Prada iteration, styled with an oversized studded belt and slouchy knit, courtesy of stylist Sinead McKeefry.
It’s easy to see why this quietly luxurious staple continues to endure. “They look great with the clothes I already own and they make me feel sharp, put together and most importantly, proud to wear local design,” Davey concludes. Made from honest materials, wonderfully simple in design, yet unmistakably polished, if there’s one addition your winter wardrobe needs, we can confirm that it’s a grey wool skirt.