Designer labels are often at the helm of the cultural moment, orchestrating plenty of buzz around a new launch, whether it be a bag, shoe, or entire collection. They might tap a certain group of celebrities and influencers to style the latest pieces or bring back a beloved style from their brand archives to play to our nostalgia, but regardless of how and why, there are always a few key labels that are at the center of the fashion zeitgeist.
Seeing as we’ve made it to the halfway point of the year, I think it’s a good time to pause and take stock of the bigger picture. So far, 2022 has been defined by a number of reigning sartorial sentiments from the Y2K revival to dopamine dressing, thanks in large part to the below six names. Ahead, we’re listing out the most popular designer brands that have definitely made the most impact on 2022 style thus far.
The It Buy: Balenciaga Le Cagole Shoulder Bag ($2600). Everyone’s trying to bring the early 2000s back, but no one is succeeding at making us nostalgic for the era quite like Balenciaga is. This year, the brand launched a new and improved version of its iconic and celeb-adored Moto Bag from the era, along with several more pieces that feature similar motorcycle details, including the Cagole Bag and Boots. Celebrities and influencers have universally adopted the new moto-inspired accessories and brought Balenciaga to the very top of our luxury wish lists this year.
These are all fashion insiders can talk about right now.
2022 or 2002?
Not just any blazer.
All about that logo.
The It Buy: Miu Miu Pleated Raw-Edge Cotton Low-Rise Midi Skirt ($1550). Miu Miu was already on the lips of everyone in the fashion world before 2022 even began. The brand had the internet ablaze at the launch of its spring/summer collection which featured several pleated micro-mini skirts, hacked-off dress shirts, and low rises galore. The looks have seemingly graced every A-lister, magazine cover, and street style gallery since they became available IRL and I’d even go so far as to credit them with the rise in a certain subversive preppy aesthetic that’s reigning in 2022.
The pleated mini skirts may have gone viral, but Miu Miu’s midi length versions are not to be overlooked.
Meet the latest designer bag the fashion world is crushing on.
The cropped hem makes this ideal to wear with low rises.
Style these with socks per the spring ’22 runway.
The It Buy: Blumarine Butterfly Sandals ($1255). Shocked? Same, but something about seeing butterfly-shaped and butterfly-print clothes, shoes, and other accessories literally everywhere (thanks to brands like Blumarine) has gotten me hooked on the niche Y2K comeback.
Dua Lipa’s already a fan.
The coolest girls on my feed are all wearing these.
To wear with jeans or mini skirts.
Peak Y2K.
The It Buy: Prada Textured Leather Motorcycle Jacket ($6700). Leave it to Prada to transform the most quotidian fashion items into verified It pieces. The label is topping our list of the best designer brands of 2022 for more reasons than one, including the array of stunning distressed leather jackets and the latest archival bag they’ve reissued, a polished boxy top-handle shape we can’t get enough of.
Just when we didn’t think this closet classic could get any better, Prada went ahead and reinvented it.
This might be our favorite Prada re-edition yet.
Just stunning.
If you buy any Prada shoe right now…
The It Buy: Loewe Printed Ribbed Tank ($490)
The brand considers its clothing to be wearable works of art—I can’t think of a better example than this dazzling tank.
These deserve to be in a museum.
An instant wardrobe classic.
A fresh update to a signature Loewe bag shape.
The It Buy: Versace Medusa Aevitas Embellished Satin Platform Pumps ($1425). Eyeing a pair of platforms right now? You can thank Versace.
The shoes that ignited all of Instagram.
It made Kendall Jenner’s FWRD edit.
Nobody does mini hemlines quite like Versace.
I’ve been obsessed with these safety pin details ever since they appeared on the runway.
