Trends From the Fall 2022 Season That Push Fashion Forward

BY STEFF YOTKA

March 15, 2022

Vogue.com

The front rows, as usual, made the headlines at the fall 2022 runway shows. Kim Kardashian wowed at Prada and Balenciaga, and all eyes were on Rihanna at Gucci, Off-White, and Christian Dior. But now that the season is over, what Vogue editors around the world can’t stop talking about is the fashion. From New York to Paris, the garments that designers proposed have a revitalized pragmatism and grace, with none—or at least fewer—of the logos, wacky prints, or gimmicky silhouettes that have defined recent seasons.

Fall 2022’s best clothes are pieces to live in that reflect their wearer’s sense, intellect, and beauty. Designers rebelled against last year’s minis with hemlines that dropped to the floor, creating statuesque shapes at Saint Laurent and Rick Owens. Suits were defined by genderless, oversized blazers that hung from widened shoulders at Prada and Louis Vuitton. Lingerie dressing was toughened up with crystals and embellishments at Miu Miu and Paco Rabanne, and corsets took on protective forms at Christian Dior and Balmain. In many ways, fashion went back to basics—the suit, the skirt, the slip dress, and an overwhelming number of white shirts or tank tops styled with medium-wash jeans.

The season was not without a little flair. The austere sweetness of Pierre Cardin’s flat bows re-emerged at Jil Sander and Valentino, and designers like Jonathan Anderson at Loewe and Hillary Taymour at Collina Strada injected levity and movement into their collections with vrooming car bodies or form-swallowing fringe. Even Hermès, the bastion of serious luxury, edged into kink with knee-highs and brushed wool sweaters just begging to be stroked.

Hemlines Hit the Floor

After the rise—literally and figuratively—of the Miu Miu miniskirt, the only natural evolution was revolution. Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Sacai, and more pushed longer, floor-sweeping lengths for fall 2022. For those who need a little extra height, Rick Owens and Altuzarra have the platforms to boot.

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Altuzarra

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Peter Do

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Chanel

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Ann Demeulemeester

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Max Mara

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Proenza Schouler

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Maryam Nassir Zadeh

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No.21

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Christian Dior

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Saint Laurent

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Alaïa

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Burberry

Sleeves Are Sloping

A cocoon-like, ’30s sleeve appeared at Dries Van Noten, Courrèges, and Tory Burch, among others, proving that a structured, molded silhouette is the new, elegant shape of 2022.

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Dries Van Noten

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Tory Burch

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Bottega Veneta

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Dolce & Gabbana

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Courrèges

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Issey Miyake

Shoulders Make the Suit

Oversize, bold-shoulder tailoring may have emerged on the catwalk several years ago, but brands from Balenciaga to Vetements are proving the look is still alive. At Louis Vuitton and Valentino, blazers were pumped up to gigantic proportions while Off-White’s touching tribute to Virgil Abloh included Karen Elson in a Virg-ified Le Smoking…but of course Saint Laurent had its own big time version by Anthony Vaccarello. Think of these bulky blazers as a new way to take up space.