Fall 2022 marked the official return of the haute couture days.
Long gone are sweatpants and couch-friendly ensembles. In their place, sleek suits, head-turning coats, monochrome black clothing and an empowering broad-shouldered silhouette not seen since the ’80s TV show Dynasty have taken hold, highlighting an era of excessive cloud – at least in terms of fashion. – is here.
All that discussion of whether men would wear suits after all the dominance of casual style during the pandemic quickly disappeared after the elegant display of double-breasted and single-breasted styles that gave the latest collections a powerful sense of effortless elegance.
Kim Jones for Dior was one of the best examples of the return to chic, with an array of double-breasted, tailored suits and outerwear paired with minimalist berets designed by in-house designer Stephen Jones. The result was very French and timeless. Hermès, Ermenegildo Zegna and Fendi also introduced new takes on heritage classics, making suiting new and desirable again.
Fashionistas wearing black? Innovator….However, the historically favorite color of fashion was versatile in the fall collections. When presented in monochrome, the result was minimalistic and sometimes mysterious. Jil Sander’s minimalist heritage worked perfectly in the monochromatic black, evening-inspired looks, featuring boxy, clean and tailored silhouettes trimmed with satin jackets. The king of dark glass, Rick Owens, presented some of the most interesting and mysterious looks of the all-black trend, with black coats, with hoods zipped over the models’ faces, leaving only slits in the eyes and a few holes breathing. Alyx and Craig Green also crossed over to the dark side for Fall 2022.
The exaggerated broad-shouldered silhouette was a favorite from the Fall 2022 collections. A bright red leather-strap coat with powerful shoulders from Prada was perhaps one of the most memorable examples – giving superhero Alexis Carrington vibes. Rick Owens, Louis Vuitton and GmbH were also at the forefront of this empowering movement.
Head-turning coats were trending in outerwear. Statement pieces came in many forms, from strappy rope styles and rich cutout styles, to long animal print coats and faux fur coats. EgonLab, Jil Sander and Hed Mayner presented some of the most directional examples – perhaps for those who want to be noticed.
Gone are the days of skinny and ultra-skinny jeans – baggy jeans from the early Aughts have officially taken over. Classic skater jeans came in a variety of shades and styles. Bianca Sounders’ indigo styles were presented as Canadian tuxedos, with matching tops. Loewe’s washed jeans paired with a trompe-l’oeil blouse offered some of the trend’s most playful looks, while Willy Chavarria’s traditional denim cuts, for which he is known, once again proved the designer’s ability to being ahead of the pack.
