Trend Report: what to wear for SS22
What’s new in fashion? Nothing much! What’s being reprised, updated, revamped, remixed? Loads. This spring it’s mostly about rehashing the 90s and 00s and what’s kind of scary is that ‘the 90s’ is now officially retro in the way the 50s was for me. It’s really quite terrifying interesting to see. The 00s revival is harder for me to enjoy. I couldn’t find much to like in the early 2000s. Hanky hem tops, Britney lowrider jeans, Christina Aguilera chaps, it was all a bit (a lot) tacky for my delicate palate. However, this was also the era of Marc by Marc Jacobs, early Luella and Teen Vogue playful preppiness. So I’m holding out for that revival which is due any minute. For now, here are the SS22 trends, trends and stories on my radar…
1/ CHINOS 2.0. It’s so hard to find good chinos for girls. But it’s definitely getting better. Hot on the heels of the Jigsaw chinos* I bought last year, I just clocked these women’s chinos by Alex Mill (below). Alex Mill the person is the son of Mickey Drexler, formerly of Gap and J Crew and now CEO of Alex Mill the brand. The whole line is worth a look here* and the chinos are here*. However, I think we can agree that the brand really putting chinos back on the map is Miu Miu (below). FYI, the Miu Miu SS22 collection looks way more luxurious and wearable IRL than on the runway. Buy it here*. (Kim Jones liked it so much, he bought the whole collection.)
Below: Vogue; Miu Miu; Alex Mill
2/ INTO THE GLOSS. Masks are officially off in the UK, so lip-wear is back. But as we’re still easing back into full-on colour, it’s all about glosses, oils and tinted balms. Balm-wise I’ve replenished my Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint in Bare Melon* (sheer, shiny and moisturising) and road tested the new Chanel Rouge Coco Baume* (moisturising, pigmented and plays nicely under a clear gloss like 19/99 Beauty’s High-Shine Gloss*). I always prep first with Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask*. The new-gen glosses come packed with moisturising oils and other feelgood ingredients to keep lips softer longer. I’m most intrigued by the Three Way Solid Lip Oil from Deck of Scarlet and the Honey-infused Lip Oil from Gisou (below). But for old school 90s nostalgia, you can’t beat the Lancome Juicy Tubes revival (buy it here*) and Victoria Beckham Beauty’s Posh Gloss (buy it here*).
3/ SURREAL STYLE. Schiaparelli is bringing back surreal, statement style and I love to see it. The beauty of Daniel Roseberry’s vision for Schiaparelli is you can go as loud or quiet as you like. The accessories in particular are wonderful – think handbags and hip-hop jewellery dripping with gold eyes, noses and lips (below). To immerse yourself further, don’t miss the Surrealism Beyond Borders show at Tate Modern until 29th August.
4/ YES, YOUR MOTHER’S JEWELLERY. More jewellery – here comes the 70s, 80s and 90s revival. Chanel’s SS22 show was noted for its nostalgic 80s-meets-90s spirit (below), meaning if you’re a Gen-Xer with daughters you’d better look up your CC bangles and barrettes. Carlyne Cerf De Dudzeele is the go-to style icon here, Rihanna’s pregnancy paparazzi look comes straight from the CCD playbook. Meanwhile, a new name to note is Sofia Elias, whose Blobb resin rings and bangles (below) are the mood-boosters we need for spring. Read more here.
Below: Blobb; Chanel
5/ SELLING SUNSET. Contrary to what Pantone says (I’m not feeling ‘Very Peri’) orange has emerged as my colour du jour, with Dior, Shang Xia and Toast prescribing it as a sartorial form of vitamin C. For me it’s about a darker burnt-orange-meets-Heinz-tomato-soup shade (also good on the lip) or if you’re feeling bolder, go all out for the Dries van Noten watercolour scarf*. Just add khaki, white and dark denim.
Below: Shang Xia; Dior; Kendall Jenner
6/ SKIN IS IN. You can’t have missed the memo that decrees showing skin is back in after years of covering up in oversized streetwear and boxy Bottega. If you’re not ready to go the full Nensi (Dojaka, who spearheaded this new wave of bodycon and barely-thereness), then just make a few modest modifications. Hemlines are higher for summer (seen at Miu Miu, Shang Xia and Dior) but instead of pairing minis with heels, I like demure mid-heels, flat Mary Janes, clogs or gorpcore sandals*. Alternatively, a gently cropped top also works, especially knitwear, like this McQueen cardigan*, teamed with tailored shorts and loafers. For more ideas (cutaway holes, strategic peekaboo sections, knotted shirts), see my street style post here.
Below: Dior; street style; Shang Xia
7/ TOUGH LOVE. I love the duality of hard meets soft styling seen at a number of shows. Peter Do is creating a buzz with his pared-back tailoring partnered with fluid pleats (below), Louis Vuitton’s dark denim got Gatsby-ed with lacy slips and decorative masks, while Alexander McQueen’s puff-sleeved trench coats, faille midi skirts* and eyeliner flicks merge punk attitude with gentle romance in typical McQueen style. Yes, the eyeliner flick is back big time. I’m here for the Dior double-flick using Dior Onstage Liner in Black Vinyl*. (Or try the affordable Maybelline* alternative.)
Below: Peter Do; Louis Vuitton; Alexander McQueen; Dior
8/ THE NEW SKIN AGENDA. With beauty sales at L’Oreal and Estee Lauder up 15% and 14% in the last year, skin care continues to thrive. What’s causing the growth? A few things. The rise of skintellectuals who are more knowledgeable about products and ingredients and enjoy the clout of knowing what’s new. Then there’s the emergence of cosmetics chemists turned brand founders (beauty’s new influencer according to Vogue Business). Not to mention the overall trend in health and wellness in which looking after your skin is seen as an important part of self-care. Right now, it’s all about protecting the skin barrier. After a few years of excessive product overload, we’re going back to gentle basics. Soho Skin is a new skincare launch from Soho House created to strengthen the skin microbiome (the ecosystem of bacteria on the skin’s surface) which will be available for Soho House members from May and globally from September. Glossier just launched its After Baume*, an emollient cream to soothe sensitive skin, and Byoma* has just landed at Selfridges, targeting young consumers with its accessible and affordable products created to counter all the skincare misinformation that’s rife on TikTok. Meanwhile I’ve been enjoying The Seated Queen Cold Cream* for its mild-mannered, multi-use cleansing and moisturising properties. From May it will add a new vegan Vanity Face Cream to the offer, combining prebiotic and probiotics to help restore balance to the skin’s microbiome. Plus, check out Oskia’s soothing Rest Day Barrier Balm*. Like the other launches in this category, it’s an anti-active line designed to give aggravated skin a rest and help it heal.
Below: Glossier; Soho Skin; Byoma; The Seated Queen
9/ READY TO ORDER.This tailoring story from How to Spend It resonated with me a lot. Savile Row is courting women with female tailors including The Deck and Gormley & Gamble offering made to measure suits and separates for a new generation of customer. It got me thinking because according to a recent feature on Carla Sozzani in Harrods magazine, ready-to-wear was the 60s version of fast fashion, allowing youthquakers to copy couture looks on a budget (relatively speaking). This return to considered shopping, investing in made-to-order pieces expected to last a lifetime feels right for the times. With Edward Sexton (tailor of Bianca Jagger’s famous white suit – below) looking at launching a capsule women’s RTW line, the idea of perfectly realised blazers, trousers and shirts is extremely appealing. Wouldn’t it be great to see more mid-level stores offering meaningful tailoring services beyond just taking up hems?
10/ IMPERFECT BEAUTY. Finally, the tyranny of perfection is waning (according to Dazed)! We’re ready for a less filtered and ‘flawless’ Kardashian aesthetic, in favour of anti-symmetry, idiosyncrasy and personality. “For years, people have been sold an idealised version of beauty,” says Victoria Buchanan, futures director at The Future Laboratory. “But during lockdowns we saw attitudes to appearance becoming more carefree. Consumers are rejecting toxic perfectionism and eliminating rigid beauty rules with new routines focused on experimental applications.” The brands to look to include 19/99 Beauty, Byredo and the new Dries Van Noten Beauty (below).
11/ WORLD OF INTERIORS REBOOTED. While Conde Nast continues to crunch its staff and magazines under the leadership of a few global editors, there’s one exception. World of Interiors is in its own microverse, an outlier mostly left to its own devices. In a month of global turmoil, it’s been a relief to retreat into the pages of this newly rebooted incarnation now under the editorship of U.S Vogue’s Hamish Bowles. With its features on Erdem’s Bloomsbury townhouse, Lagos modernism and an ode to toile de jouy (plus a contributor list of Hamish’s old Vogue mates – hi Plum Sykes!), it’s a light-touch revamp of old money style meets global newness.
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WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla
IMAGES: SS22 trends
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