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2022 fashion: the key trends to follow this year

By Eleonore Dresch on 6/1/2022

2021 was a year of transition that saw the re-emergence of our desire to dress and look the part. It has been a joy to make an effort again. We also took confidence in more personal and genuine style choices and trends have been harder to decipher - some say trends are dead. What was noticeable was our need for celebratory looks and our desire to dress with a sense of real-world purpose.
So what are the styles and trends that are on our radar for 2022?
As pandemic constraints are here to stay, stylish and understated looks are making a comeback as well as sexy dressing. There are also plenty of references to nostalgia, dreams of pre-covid and pre-internet lost worlds. Counter-culture fashion, pushed by the necessity to reduce environmental impact and the rise of diverse and self-aware looks, is gaining momentum. It translates into a more inclusive yet distinctive way of dressing and is perhaps the most important trend of all.

1 - Sexy and sensual all the way

The sense of liberation that sparkled in the past months is not going away.

Seduction, Stripped Down was the title of Prada’s SS22 collection. This year is not about being elegant, it is about being sexy and sensual and well, showing a bit more flesh.

Granted, not everyone can dare to show up in a Nensi Dojaka see-through dress like Camille Charriere or Zendaya, but wearing a sensual sheer top or a cashmere bra suddenly feels possible.

Photos: courtesy of Nensi Dojaka, Khaite, Coperni, Ami

2 - Dopamine colours

Hot pink for Valentino, bright green for Bottega Veneta… neon hues are still doing wonders.

Extroversion and exuberance are still much in need as we enter 2022. It is easy to brighten a dark outfit with a flashy coloured handbag or a bold orange pair of mules. The bolder the better.

Photos courtesy of Valentino, Bottega Veneta, Nanushka, Isabel Marant

3 - Rekindling the Millennium mood

Love it or hate it, Y2K (the year 2000) style so hyped by TikTok’s fashion crowd, is going nowhere in 2022. We're talking mesh tops, low-rise jeans, monster shoes, OTT logos, cargo pants, body chains and Fendi baguette bags… yes Carrie Bradshaw is partly responsible.

Call it pre-internet nostalgia, sheer fun and a need for a simpler, more carefree life - as imagined by Gen Z who never lived it - It is easy to find millennium treasures on Depop while keeping an eye on high street brands like Karen Millen.

Photos courtesy of Blumarine, Dolce & Gabanna, MSGM, Coach

4 - Understated minimalist fluidity

If you are part of the minimalist clan, do not worry. Impossibly sexy and OTT Y2K dressings find their balance with quieter and pared-down looks this year.

Think wide trousers, oversized shirts tightened with a belt, wide jackets, muted colours head-to-toe and great fluidity.

If in doubt, go all white.

Photos: courtesy of Hermes, Gabriela Hearst, Joseph Altuzarra, Valentino

5 - Micro wear

The micro skirt made an entrance with a bang at the Miu Miu show - But minis were already spotted on the catwalks of Chanel, Prada and many more. It is now official: the shorter the better.

Forget about your insecurities, embrace body positivity and well, show your legs!

Photos: courtesy of Pernille Teisbaek, Miu Miu, Prada, Givenchy

6 - Glitchcore

Glitchcore emerged during the pandemic and plays on tech nostalgia, replicating abstract patterns created by early computers. Like the noughties and Y2K, it is another form of Gen Z longing for something never experienced.

Pixalisation, heat map patterns techno-psychedelia… Another reminder of how wrapped up we are in the digital age.

Photos: courtesy of Colville, Coperni, Loewe, Missoni

7 - The biker look

If you thought you were done with the noughties influence, you were wrong. Short-sleeved or oversized, with multiple zips or none, leather jackets are making a come back and this year they also come very tight and small. Pair your with shorts, mini skirts, Doc Martens or, if you're feeling bold, a simple bralette.

Photos: courtesy of Givenchy, Dior, Miu Miu, Hermes

8 - Bohemian chic

2022 also sees a nostalgic revival of 70s fashion. Think patchwork, fringes, clogs, suede vests and flared jeans. The trend is a celebration of the return of craftsmanship as glorified by Gabriela Hearst and Paco Rabanne's collections with their psychedelic prints and patchwork knits.

Photos: courtesy of Gabriela Hearst, Paco Rabanne, Chloé, Chanel

9 - Counter culture reverse chic

The anti-fashion trend is making a subtle comeback. Connected to hippies and anti-consumerist messaging, it emphasises mismatch dressing, rejects industry norms and favours personal creativity. Grunge and normcore also fit into the anti-fashion mood.

A lot has been said about our need to reset, live more sustainably and find a fashion that supports us in who we are without judgement. Think Balenciaga's oversized black outfits or Lemaire’s work trousers epitomising normality or anti-trend fashion.

Photos: courtesy of Balenciaga, Lemaire, Our Legacy, Celine