By Luis Miranda
Trends for Summer 2022: A review of the milestones and trends that marked this season's international fashion shows.
“September is the January of fashion,” says editor Candy Pratts in the documentary “The September Issue.” Indeed, September is a turning point; it's the month in which the international fashion calendar proposes the summer season's fashion. New York, London, Milan, and Paris always follow one another in that order to reveal the colors, silhouettes, and textures suggested by the world's most relevant brands in their respective fashion weeks. Each with a distinctive stamp, each contributing to the trends that, via trickle-down effect, will be seen on the streets around the world.
It's said that New York has the most commercial offering of all, that London is always at the forefront, that Milan prides itself on its technical mastery, and that Paris is brimming with creativity. The four international fashion capitals have already spoken and dictated their trends for the Spring/Summer 2022 season. And while those in the northern hemisphere must wait until March for the garments they've just seen on the runways to be available for purchase (most shows are presented months before their retail release), here in the southern hemisphere we can now embrace what the biggest names in design are proposing.
Under the well-known and age-old premise of "three is a trend," used by fashion editors and experts, which suggests that if we see the same look repeated on three runways, it will likely win on the high street, in Vístete Local we analyze the trends, the highs, the lows, and everything you need to know for Summer 2022. Turn to your archive, try to buy local, repurpose, modify, and achieve the runway look.
Subtle draping.
There's no technique more romantic, delicate, and subtle than draping. Truth be told, draping never leaves the runways, but this season it comes in a smaller format, which makes it even more adorable. Fans of this technique, here's how you should wear it now.
Relaxed tailoring.
Tailoring is a style that is also a constant on the runways. In the last century, when Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent began taking elements from the men's closet to the women's, they never suspected the tremendous revolution they were starting and the extensive legacy they would leave behind. At the height of the pandemic, the silhouette of choice was anything loose and comfortable. While today we're returning to work and leaving pajamas behind, we're getting used to comfort. Several designers are proposing languid tailoring, with little structure and plenty of room.
Fringes.
Unlike the previous two trends, fringes are seasonal. There are seasons when they disappear completely from the runways, while others are filled with them. The movement that fringes bring to any garment makes it fashionable from time to time, and once they reach their peak, they're hard to go away. For several seasons now, fringes have been at the top of the trends, and apparently, they'll continue to be.
Walking canvases.
The debate over whether fashion is art or not is still unresolved. And while we can't venture to answer that question now, we can say that the two disciplines have always been closely linked. For this season, several fashion houses are presenting their garments as walking works of art, capable of communicating, moving, and interpreting society, just as art does.
Dressed naked.
At a time when Instagram bans the female nipple, the runways are showing it off like crazy. Will sheer clothing ever be seen on the streets on a massive scale? Sheer clothing has burst into the fashion debate quite a few seasons, but it's never achieved the same popularity as other seasonal trends. It takes boldness to wear it, it's true, but seeing an exposed body is becoming less shocking. And we're increasingly more in control of and aware of our bodies. Please take to the streets!
Color blocking.
Color blocking was the chromatic theme on some runways. Nothing new under the sun, but this season several brands emphasized the mix of strong colors. This, coupled with several references to the 2000s on various runways, could help us infer that seasons are coming that will celebrate this decade. Do we like the idea?
Elizabethan volumes
Many brands have proposed exaggerated volumes, announcing opulence in times where discretion is the norm. Could it be that designers are already looking to break away from this austere mood and embrace a more extravagant and bombastic aesthetic? The truth is, these silhouettes are very useful for maintaining social distancing. ;)
Geometric silhouettes
It's time to innovate in silhouettes, and the edges and vertices are helping designers find new silhouettes to offer to those eager for the avant-garde. A trend that results in a futuristic and minimalist look, not always easy to digest or friendly to all body types.
Intricate cuts
Another trend with a futuristic feel is what designers are proposing, presenting collections with intricate cuts. In addition to being futuristic, the overall mood of this trend is linked to a sporty vibe.
Beauty trends.
Along with clothing offerings, fashion shows also directly create and influence trends and practices in the beauty and makeup industry. The best MUAs (Make-Up Artists) take charge backstage, where they communicate their color palettes, creative visions, and beauty ideas with brushes. Following the same "three is a trend" logic, we present this season's most notable makeup trends.
Striking eyes.
Forget simple eyeliner or shadow; your face is a canvas, and your eyes are a crucial point of contact in our communication. The Dior and Versace shows feature this simple yet highly effective approach.
Tinted eyebrows.
Would you dare to make your eyebrows disappear and set a trend? Richard Quin and Dsquared2 dare with this statement that leaves no one indifferent. It takes courage to lose your eyebrows, but then again: we are increasingly more in control of and aware of our bodies.
The lip is very red.
To be honest, it's never gone out of style. It's a classic, and it was repeated on several runways this season. If Michael Kors and Saint Laurent say so, deep red is more fashionable than ever this summer.
Make me blush!
Blush helps contour your cheeks and highlight your cheekbones. This season, don't be afraid to go overboard; the makeup artists at the Carolina Herrera and Anna Sui shows want your cheeks to burst with color.
The good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly.
Every fashion week has its ups and downs; good things and not so good things that define the season.
As a low point this season, we mention the fact that the vast majority of brands returned to showcasing their collections with in-person fashion shows, just as they had been doing before the pandemic. During the lockdowns, brands invented new ways of showing their collections, which excited us, surprised us, and gave dynamism to a way of showing collections that hadn't undergone significant changes in a long time. How is it possible that an industry driven by creativity can't innovate in this regard?
That, coupled with a kind of general creative exhaustion, we could say are the low points of this season. There are very few truly innovative proposals; most shows featured ideas that have been seen before, digested, and marketed before. It's true that fashion is cyclical; it remakes itself and styles repeat themselves, but we miss a creative catalyst, an Alexander McQueen who blows our minds, who makes us think and rethink fashion.
It's a good thing the good things outnumber the bad. We started with Balenciaga, a brand that—speaking of innovation in how it showcases collections—designed an event in such a way that guests ended up watching the event's red carpet on a screen. That was the runway: the red carpet, where personalities like Cardi B and Elliot Page walked, alternating with Balenciaga employees, all treated like celebrities. The second part of the show featured a previously unreleased 10-minute episode of The Simpsons with a reference to Balenciaga. An interesting and intelligent collaboration with a series that is transgenerational.
On another high note, New York Fashion Week closed with the Met Gala, which returned after last year's suspension and the postponement to this date from what was supposed to be in May. This year's theme was "American Independence." On a low note, not all red carpet guests correctly interpreted the dress code. It would be a good idea to continue linking fashion week with the Met Gala.
Finally, there was a tribute to Alber Elbaz, with more than 40 brands and labels gathering to celebrate his legacy. The aesthetic of the designer, who died of COVID this year, was interpreted by the brands participating in the event. "Love brings love" is the name given to this emotional event, which was the perfect closing to this runway season.