8 Key Fashion Trends from the Spring-Summer 2022 Runways

With the return of in-person shows, a month of fashion weeks across the fashion capitals of the globe ended on a high note. The biggest luxury fashion houses such as Balenciaga, Chanel, Dior and Saint Laurent took us on a nostalgic ride. From Dior’s graphic twist reminiscent of the 60s Marc Bohan era to Chanel’s iconic 90s pearl stacked revival—conventional trends were reimagined with great panache. Be it the warm sunny palettes taking the runways by storm or the return of uber-short hemlines, here is a round-up of some of the key trends.

1. Micro Minis

This wardrobe staple of the early aughts has made a raging comeback on international runways- thanks to Miu Miu, Chanel, Blumarine, and more. Throwing it back to the ‘00s, Miu Miu’s Spring 22 collection was dominated by low waistbands and high hemlines. Think preppy Upper East Side school fits rebelliously chopped off, pulling off a new age Serena Van Der Woodsen. Miu Miu's version of formal wear was given a corporate-casual look with frayed hems, cropped sweaters and barely-bust-covering bandeaus. Going with the micro mini look, Chanel’s Virginie Viard payed a tribute to Lagerfeld’s early 90s Chanel with tweed hotpants, mini skirts and the classic double C swimsuits and briefs.

Miu Miu

Fendace

Chanel

2. Deconstruction

The art of re-assembling just got intense this year with fashion houses landing on deconstruction and decomposition for their Spring Summer collections. Acne Studios’ founder and designer Johnny Johansson brought to the runway through fabrics and deconstructed silhouettes in hues of orange, cerulean blue and pastel yellow. On the other hand, Loewe featured a more playful take on denim deconstruction incorporating metal plates and exaggerated proportions. Ottolinger took distressed a notch higher for Spring 2022 with their signature deconstruction, frayed hems and a rugged aesthetic. Painted denims, mesh tank dresses, metallic suiting and skin baring cutouts complimented the unfinished, deconstructed and futuristic vibe.

Loewe

Rokh

Ottolinger

3. Abstract Prints

There’s no denying that Spring Summer is the season to explore new cuts, colours and prints. At the fashion weeks, designers such as Altuzarra, Brandon Maxwell, Coperni and Kenneth Ize didn’t shy away from going all out with their prints. With a tribute to escapism, Coperni went techno-chic with psychedelic prints, off-kilter shapes and beach-y fits. Altuzarra’s cropped cardigans and skirts were washed in psychedelic greens and reds giving tie dye a modern revamp. Brandon Maxwell featured a mesmerising array of hypnosis wheels in his designs. Dries Van Noten went a step ahead with an explosion of saturated hues and decadent prints. From blurry city scenes to trippy concert crowds- Van Noten’s eccentric colours and prints captured all.

Coperni

Brandon Maxwell

Dries Van Noten

4. Head-To-Toe in Yellow

Whether it was Courreges’ yellow festival gear from the future- a long coat, ribbed knit flared pants and a basketball cap or Acne Studios’ cutting edge drama in a yellow sheer set- the SS 22 runway was sunny to say the least. Spotted at Dior, Koche, Valentino, Chanel and more, the sunshine hue solidified itself as a major colour trend to watch out for in 2022.

Acne Studios

Chloe

Courreges

5. Risque Cutouts

The cutout trend is on a hotter level for the Summer of ‘22. The Milan and Paris shows have seen it emerge as one of the most obvious trends this season, seen on everything from bodycons to chunky knits. On the SS 22 Stella McCartney catwalk, models strutted down in vibrant dresses cut like swimsuits gradually taking the shape of slinky skirts and expanding into lean jumpsuits. Nina Ricci showcased their futuristic mermaids in cutout scuba suits in reef shades such as kelp green and turquoise. From skin baring peekaboos on dainty dresses, to sheer stockings- debutants such as Nensi Dojaka owned the cut-out zone with an edgy feminine command like no other. You just know Bella Hadid's stylist is salivating over Dojaka’s pieces.

Nensi Dojaka

Stella McCartney

Nina Ricci

6. Fringe Moments

When it comes to clever accents, fringe is no longer just a flouncy jacket embellishment. The 2016’s rage has taken the Spring 22 runways by storm and the fringe trend has definitely got its Fashion Month’s stamp of approval by luxury houses such as Chloe, Dior, Dries van Noten, Kenneth Ize and many more. For Spring 2022 the mood is definitely light, whimsy and bouncy. While showcasing his take on traditional Nigerian dress and textiles, Kenneth Ize’s sweeping fringes at Paris Fashion Week was hard to miss. Adding to that, whether it was Dior’s flapper era reminiscent shimmy sequin dress or Chloe’s silk jersey strips knotted using macramé techniques- the SS 22 shows witnessed uncountable fringe moments.

Chloe

Kenneth Ize

Dior

7. Futuristic Silhouettes

From sculpted shoulders to unyielding ruffles- the SS 22 runway reigned with designers looking a bit further through futuristic scopes. "It's about a juxtaposition of grandeur with fierce energy," read the shownotes of Acne Studios where a hyper-futuristic attitude met handcrafted historical pieces of the brand. It was about modern collocations: chiffon with leather, blown up corsets, plaid with lingerie; and don’t miss the accessories- chunky platforms and oversized eyewear. While Givenchy aced the runway with neoprene tailored jackets tonally secured in deconstructed corsetry, Dior had a geometric take on the 60s Marc Bohan era with baby doll dresses and miniature suits. Adding to the trend, Nina Ricci filmed a video titled “Tomorrow’s Mermaids” which featured fishnet knitwear, snorkel heels, fluo viscose dresses and cut-out scuba suits tailored to perfection.

Givenchy

Christopher Kane

Nina Ricci

8. Luxurified Y2K

The revival of Y2K fashion has long been brewing since the post-pandemic era. However, the SS 22 runways have made sure that the trend’s revival is better than ever by transforming some of the aughts’ most mockable trends into covetable status symbols. Perhaps the most enthusiastic feature of luxurified Y2K came from Blumarine, Fendace and Miu Miu. Blumarine showcased several pairs of daisy dukes in the Milan Fashion Week, the lengths of which we haven’t seen for ten to twenty years. Kim Jones and Donatella Versace presented “Fendace” an amalgamation of hot pinks, slinky mini dresses slathered in sequins and dragged waistbands - which caught us reminiscing on Paris Hilton’s early party days. Dolce and Gabbana too, picked up on the era of glorious excess which was the early 00s. With camo jackets lined in leopard, beaded fringe skirts, D&G style militaria- Dolce and Gabbana clearly had their maximalist '00s mood evolved for the Gen Z fashion crowd.

Blumarine

Fendace

Dolce & Gabbana