The key trends from the Spring 2022 shows conjured up some very specific scenarios
Trend watching is half the fun during Fashion Month and boy, did the Spring 2022 shows deliver. Following what seemed like a practice in creative restraint over the previous seasons, designers came into 2022 recharged with a new kind of energy. As Spring and Summer tend to call for as well, plenty of collections featured an explosion of color, a ton of print, and a lot of looking on the bright side. What’s also noteworthy is that the presentations for the season had the ability to paint such a vivid picture that we were transported places.
Granted there were individual fashion trends that noticeably cropped up (like fringed hemlines, bright hot reds and the return of the mini skirt), overarching themes called just as much attention to themselves. And these themes echoed the places to be in Spring 2022. See what we mean straight ahead.
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To the country club
Spring 2022 made it official that athleisure isn’t going anywhere. This time around, think: golfing, lacrosse, tennis and looks that scream trips to the country club. In particular, there were the added elements of preppiness and polish at shows like Altuzarra, Bottega Veneta and Lacoste. The palette of choice? Whites, pastels and powdery neutrals.
Altuzarra. Photo: Filippo Fior |
Bottega Veneta |
Lacoste. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni |
Christian Dior. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni |
At the altar
Not that a church wedding is the place to be next Spring (not hinting at anything here, of course), but the look for the occasion is another subject entirely. The category is: unconventional bride, actual wedding not necessary. As could-be wedding dresses peppered the shows of Giambattista Valli, Hodakova, Louis Vuitton, Rochas and more, we got the idea that bridal looks outside of the occasion itself could be a fun thing to explore.
Louis Vuitton. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni |
Giambattista Valli. Photo: Filippo Fior |
Givenchy. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni |
Hodakova |
Photo: Alexander McQueen |
Rochas. Photo: Daniele Oberrauch |
Into a new semester
Class was back in session at No.21, Private Policy and Miu Miu, among other shows. Where there were nods to collegiate uniform dressing, button-down polos and other suiting elements stole the show. Still on our minds, in particular: Miu Miu cropping everything from dress shirts, cardigans, bomber jackets and blazers, and then pairing them with low-slung bottoms. Ab-baring corpo-casual? A concept. The return of the low-rise trousers? A slight concern.
AZ Factory. Photo: Filippo Fior |
Christian Dior. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni |
Miu Miu. Photo: Filippo Fior |
Commission |
To the resort
If there was one silhouette that dominated the runways of Spring 2022, it was the maxi dress. Ankle-length skirts and dresses were everywhere in Fashion Month and came in various iterations that showcased how flexible this silhouette can be. From Chloé to Proenza Schouler, the maxi dress came in more structured takes like leather and then airier fabrics that flowed. Look no further for the perfect, universally flattering wardrobe item that easily points to a resort getaway or beachside lounging.
Chloe. Photo: Filippo Fior |
Proenza Schouler. Photo: Jonas Gustavsson |
Issey Miyake |
Christopher Kane. Photo: Ben Broomfield |
Sacai |
Atlein |
On an island
What would summer fashion trends even be without swimwear factored in? Swim pieces with cut-outs and wrap-around elements made their expected appearances, but the styling choices also gave them something extra: a kind of swim-to-city scenario, where swimwear was injected into dressier outfits. A bikini set peeking through a bodysuit, a balconette swim top worn with an oversized blazer: looks we imagine would make sense for days at the beach then nights in the town.
HRH |
Chanel. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni |
Schiaparelli. Photo: Daniel Roseberry |
Ottolinger. Photo: Filippo Fior |
From the sea
Let’s call it the Di Petsa effect. After the label by emerging Greek designer Dimitra Petsa introduced its wet-look dresses (later on picked up by Doja Cat, Kylie Jenner, Gigi Hadid and FKA Twigs), the interest in the aesthetic really took off. This is not to say Di Petsa is the sole arbiter here, but the influence cannot be denied. For Spring 2022, dresses featured a kind of draping that mimicked the cling of fabric onto the body right after emerging from a body of water.
Di Petsa. Photo: Léa Céline Heidi Vincent |
Ludovic de Saint Sernin. Photo: Filippo Fior |
Junya Watanabe |
Loewe. Photo: Filippo Fior |
Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood. Photo: Daniele Oberrauch |
Rick Owens. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni |
On the dancefloor
Spring 2022 fashion trends also accommodated a lot of nostalgia. Y2K references were still being made; designers went as far back as the roaring ‘20s, in some instances. In others, looks were giving Cher (‘70s disco diva Cher, to be exact), evident in catsuits, the generous serving of sequins and all the sheer, beaded numbers. On the runways of Blumarine, Tom Ford, Fendi and Valentino, it was more a general take on disco nights, but said dance all the same. Take your pick: prom night, Studio 54 or gala?
Blumarine. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni |
Valentino. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni |
Louis Vuitton. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni |
Gucci |
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If we could hit up (and dress for) all these places in the coming year, we would with these Spring 2022 fashion trends in mind.Â
Art Alexandra Lara