The last stop of fashion’s world tour, Paris dazzled us once again with a packed roster of runway shows and presentations. As a destination that’s long been home to a number of storied fashion houses and big-name designers, the city of lights is the place to go when you want to witness real fashion, with a capital “F”. After a year of virtual presentations and digital lookbooks, designers unleashed their latest collections with a mountain of showstopping moments; the Simpsons made an appearance at Balenciaga; Miu Miu showed us the real meaning of micro-mini; Cardi B turned out the streets of Paris in a plethora of looks. But, in between the viral moments were a lot of great clothes and accessories—so good our eyes are still digesting. With heavy-hitters like Valentino, Givenchy, and Dries Van Noten in the fashion week lineup, you know you’re in store for a trend forecast of the ages. After analysis of the collections, we’ve narrowed it down to the 7 trends that were simply too dominant to ignore. Ranging from shimmering sequin to rebellious takes on the preppy aesthetic, and more, take note because these will be in your face all 2022.
We’ve talked a lot about the preppy fashion revival that fashion insiders can’t seem to get enough of, and it’s not slowing down in 2022. Actually, it’s picking up even more steam. This time around, preppy dress codes have been redefined and reimagined—and the back-to-school uniform is different from what you might remember. Cable knits with hot pants, why not? Micro low-rise pleated skirts and a bare midriff? Miu Miu approves with one of the most buzzed-about looks from Paris fashion week. This is a trend you’ll want to keep an eye on.
Suits (of all varieties) tend to get all the shine during fashion week, but there’s another coordinated pairing that’s steadily creeping up: Welcome to the new power combo. It borrows the matching element of a suit but in a more relaxed way. The key look seems to be a cropped top, pants or skirt, and a jacket, all of the same bold color or pattern. Dior, Nina Ricci, Courrèges, and more included monochromatic three-piece sets down their runways over the past week, which means it’s only a matter of time before it’s all over your feed.
Brands are on board with maxi silhouettes for S/S 22 and we can’t get enough. Copy Saint Laurent and add a vest top to a column skirt for a cool spin on suiting, or mirror Loewe and opt for a sleek maxi dress for a simple, yet showstopping, look. However you slice it, there’s no doubt that maxi skirts and dresses are about to be the next fashion insider basics to have in your closet.
Each season there’s usually one trend that throws all of us for a loop, and for S/S 22 that honor goes to the catsuit. It’s not something we exactly saw coming, but the skin-tight relative of the jumpsuit was everywhere in Paris. Almost half of Anthony Vaccarello’s Saint Laurent collection displayed a catsuit of some sort, from cut-outs riddled suits to halter neck versions. Stella McCartney also incorporated skin-baring cut-outs in her seafoam green interpretation of the catsuit—complete with an army green maxi coat. While this trend may not be for the sartorially timid, it’s definitely a look that kept our attention all fashion week.
“Naked” fashion seems to get rethought by brands each season and the S/S 21 collections are no exception. This time around, we’re seeing barely-there sheer pieces with exposed underwear, inventive cutouts, bare midriffs, and cool new takes on strappy “floss” pieces. When it comes to “naked” fashion, we thought we’d seen it all, but it looks like designers are only getting started.
Designers have reached into their toolkits of sparkly things to give us a season full of shimmering, brilliant looks—literally. Sequin has a reputation for erring on the side of prom-queen cheesiness, but Balenciaga, Givenchy, and Valentino among others made a case for its importance as a facet of high fashion. To try this out in real life, stick with minimal accessories when styling your sequin piece. The point is to let it speak for itself.
One area where designers really put their foot on the creative pedal? Sculptural silhouettes. Spotted on the runways at Loewe, Louis Vuitton, and Acne Studios, designers showcased cool, voluminous skirts and dresses that ranged from 19th-century shapes to architectural and futuristic designs. Luckily, there are already plenty of wearable versions on the market.
