The colour of the season
Everything at the Valentino autumn/winter 2022 runway show was bathed in a singular shade of pink, down to the remote-controlled cameras on wheels. The pink manifested by creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli is in collaboration with Pantone Color Institute and is aptly named Valentino Pink PP — “PP” for Pierpaolo Piccioli. The thorough exposure to such a shocking colour allowed one to be immune to the severity of the shade, and focus on details of the clothes as well as the models that wore them. And with the collection now having made its rounds in the celebrity circuit, Valentino Pink PP has truly become a rather welcoming shade of pink to wear. But make no mistake, even a smidge from the collection in real life will grab attention from every angle.
Straight up garbage
If there’s one thing that Balenciaga’s Demna is well-versed in, is that the creative director knows how to stir discourse. His latest accessory for autumn/winter 2022 comes in the form of a garbage bag. Officially called the Trash Pouch, the controversial piece is crafted from leather and coated to give a glossy appearance. The Trash Pouch is designed with a drawstring right at its opening and carried the same way one would an actual garbage bag. “I couldn’t miss an opportunity to make the most expensive trash bag in the world, because who doesn’t love a fashion scandal?” Demna told Women’s Wear Daily. Can’t say that the man is wrong at all.
Flower power
Kenzo’s connection with the poppy flower is as iconic as the brand itself. Its use in the brand’s fashion division may have died off over the years, but Kenzo’s fragrance line is built around the identity of the flower. Thanks to newly appointed artistic director Nigo, the poppy has been revived for his debut collection for Kenzo. Using an archival print of the poppy designed by founder Kenzo Takada, the print fills up in a variety of interpretations but most visually impactful in the collection’s largest and reddest. Who said florals are only for spring?
The boys are back
This isn’t necessarily a standout in terms of design but Miu Miu menswear is back — in a sense. Miu Miu menswear was an established line from 1999 until it was shuttered in 2008. But the autumn/winter 2022 Miu Miu runway show looked to be a signal that the brand may be open to reintroducing menswear into its repertoire. Male models were part of the line-up and dressed in the collection’s micro shorts and oversized polo shirts, and looking every part the androgynous, non-binary versions of the former Miu Miu menswear. While Miuccia Prada has been outrightly refusing to call it a menswear capsule (the choice of male models were part of the collection’s intent to free it from gender binaries), let’s just say that the new, almost Miu Miu menswear is making the brand the talk of the town once more.
New lustres
Pearls have long been considered to be a symbol of femininity in society, even if the lines have indeed blurred of late. Audrey Hepburn’s Givenchy-designed black dress might be one of the most iconic dresses of all time, but the pearl necklace that finished the look in Breakfast at Tiffany’s is often overlooked. The connection is alluded in Givenchy’s autumn/winter 2022 collection under the direction of Matthew Williams. This time, pearls are interpreted with more rugged accents in the form of studs, blown up as bold statements around the neck, and come together in varying sizes incorporated into the ready-to-wear. Pearls may conjure up visions of daintiness but Williams has managed to redefine the material while still retaining its elegance.
Go deep
The most subtle of statements, Bottega Veneta’s autumn/winter 2022 offering was all about craftsmanship and in the biggest way possible. Creative director Matthieu Blazy’s debut collection for the Italian brand consists of two deceptively banal looks. They both feature a pair of jeans, worn with a tank top and a striped shirt — or so we believed. The “denim” jeans and striped shirt turned out to be nubuck that was masterfully printed to achieve a trompe-lœil effect. Sure, they may not be the most practical as compared to regular cotton, but the display of craftsmanship is a testament to the kind of quality and ingenuity one can expect from Bottega Veneta’s new creative direction.
The bigger, the better
Gucci’s Exquisite Gucci collection made headlines for a surprising collaboration with adidas. Yet, even the three stripes-laden everything couldn’t overshadow the new supersized iterations of the Gucci Diana bag. The squarish leather bag is distinguishable by its bamboo top handles and removable leather belts that wrap around them. The latest version sees every element of the Gucci Diana blown up to proportions that are at least twice that of its medium-sized counterpart. Add to that the various embellishments around the body of the bag as well as its shoulder strap, the latest Gucci Diana is easily the greatest yet.
Bust a move
Not many brands can lay claim to the bustier like Versace. The garment is a core part of the house’s autumn/winter 2022 collection and has been modernised and streamlined with little flourishes. Instead of merely using the bustier as an inner layer — a number of looks do exercise that under sumptuously oversized blazers — Donatella Versace fuses the bustier with other garments in the collection. The most impressive of which is a bustier-puffer coat hybrid that gives the impression of a stately armour yet showcases just enough skin for a touch of that signature, sexually charged Versace.
Tweed all day
Tweed isn’t necessarily something that’s practical for those of us living on this side of the planet. Chanel is undoubtedly famed for its tweed, especially its skirt suits and jackets. In celebration of the material that has become an eternal code of the house, the autumn/winter 2022 collection features tweed in a lot of its bag offerings. The colour combinations are inspired by Coco Chanel’s walks along the United Kingdom’s River Tweed and the colours she may have witnessed of the landscape. If Chanel tweeds are something you’ve been eyeing, there’s no time like the present to start, especially when you don’t have to sweat in the heat to fully appreciate them.
The plush life
If Chanel’s known for its tweeds, Max Mara’s calling card is the Teddy Bear — an appropriate name for a luxurious fabric that feels and looks just like that typical childhood companion. Max Mara’s glamorous Teddy Bear coat put the brand on the map back in 2013 and for autumn/winter 2022, the brand translates the fabric onto a number of other garments. From a mini skirt to a floor-grazing skirt and even shorts, Max Mara displays just how versatile the beloved Teddy Bear fabric is. Special mentions go to the Teddy Bear oversized puffers filled with wadding made from upcycled waste that are typical of the fabric’s production.
Art for change
Chloé amps up its desire to focus on doing good for the environment with this season’s rewilding — a concept that revolves around nature taking care of itself. The key graphics of the collection involve landscapes in various scenarios of catastrophes such as forest fires, melting glaziers, and droughts that are contrasted with them healed. These images are splashed across bags and ready-to-wear as prints or intarsia knits made from recycled cashmere, to drive down on the issues that Chloé feels are important for the moment.
In the trenches
Reinterpreting house codes (and continuously doing so) is no mean feat. Chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci does just that every season for Burberry. This time, the signature Burberry trench has been updated to distinguish it from the regular, utilitarian version that’s become a staple of the house. The first comes in the addition of metallic hardware that line hems and decorate almost every facet of the coat. The second interpretation displays Burberry’s technical excellence with a throughly pleated iteration that adds volume and sophistication — plus, the pleats help the coat move ever so gracefully with a touch of dramatic flair.
Beauty in disorder
The Hermès Kelly II Sellier has honestly never looked this good. Hermès may be perceived as a rigid luxury house (especially with the Birkin and Kelly being exalted to such high level of status) but it’s actually playful in nature. The best example of this is in autumn/winter 2022’s version of the Kelly II Sellier, a definite standout in the collection. Referred to as “en désorde” — literally ‘in disorder’ in French — the bag is designed with skewed construction details that cause the Kelly buckle and front compartments to slant against its traditional shape and structure. It’s rebellious and somewhat sacrilegious but oh so beautiful.
Make it pop
Loewe’s autumn/winter 2022 collection takes everyday objects and turns them into surreal pieces of fashion. One of the elements in the collection is the use of balloons as a way of exploring the fragility of such an object, but replicated accurately using resin. They’re trapped in between draped pieces of fabric on a dress, designed as heels of pumps, and deflated as balloon bras worn over dresses — all while appearing as though they could burst at any given moment, with the slightest of pressure. If walking on eggshells seem to be something you already do in life, stepping on faux balloons should be a breeze.
Louche simplicity
Similar to Miu Miu, Zegna’s inclusion of female models for its autumn/winter 2022 collection is not necessarily a signal that it’s creating a new category all together. In fact, Zegna has been featuring female models wearing its seasonal menswear collections as a way of redefining the idea of menswear as a whole. The traditionally tailoring brand has steered away from menswear conventions and is embracing tailoring that’s more casual in appearance but still crafted using time-honoured techniques. Let’s be honest women look better in menswear — suits included — than men any day, all day; that’s the statement.
