It’s time for another fashion resurrection as we take off the winter layers and welcome the warmer months in style. London Fashion Week (14th–18th February) calls upon our inner stylist and is here to remind us that it’s time for a wardrobe swap!

The spring/summer 2022 fashion shows paraded an explosion of colour, sex appeal, intricate cuts, and eccentricity, but also modesty and comfort. The garments echoed people’s way out of the pandemic, imbued with a thirst for excitement and a yearning for a breath of fresh air.

Idiosyncratic and chaotic in an artistic way, the collections have taken inspiration from the ‘60s, ‘90s, ‘00s, and even the 2010s, and swiftly satiate the fashion endeavours of the TikTik content creators and Depop resellers. We’re living through the age of artistic fashion exploration.

We rounded up the biggest fashion trends as seen in the fashion weeks to help you get your spring/summer wardrobe up to date.

Micro power suits

Co-ords aren’t a new trend in the fashion realms. Two, three, and even four-piece co-ords have been entertained by fashion designers for a while, and it’s likely that you own one too. But what the spring/summer fashion shows presented was an uptake of the co-ord look that blends mini skirts with cropped blazers. The result is the micro power suit.

There is something incredibly exciting and empowering about this garment. The shortening of the hemline is reminiscent of the ‘60s sex revolution, and the power suit is an emblem of the ‘70s/’80s ‘power dressing’. Of course, a play with fabrics, colours, and patterns is woven through the classic look to result in this year’s trending micro power suit.

Chanel, the pioneer of the power suit, presented two-piece blazer and mini skirt sets in groovy patterns and fabrics, including its iconic tweed. Moschino’s Spring 2022 RTW collection, titled “Ladies Who Lunch”, was a juxtaposition between lunch-appropriate co-ord suits and patterns with baby motifs, appropriate for a vintage nursery. Design houses, such as Max Mara, who showcased classy but intricate co-ord suits in leather and denim, also embraced the upcoming trend.

A breath of fresh white

As an antidote to the gloomy winter days, white comes to wave its sheer flag of fashion freedom.

Head-to-toe outfits in Colgate white were tailored in a gamut of garments, from sleek suits, maxi skirt and bralette co-ords, and loose-fitting maxi satin dresses at Hermès to bohemian dresses in sheer fabrics and featuring ruffles and fringes at Chloé.

But that’s not all. Dresses in all shapes and styles paraded in white, giving way to the flourishing bridal season. Maxine Eggenberger, UK’s acting assistant editor of Who What Wear, said: “I didn’t wear a white dress when I got married, but I fully intend on embracing spring/summer 2022’s bridal vibes”.

A look that particularly stood out is Et Ochs’ sultry cut-out dress, which encapsulates the daring fashion adventures this season that elegantly accentuate the body. This is a direction Et Ochs has boldly embraced in its Spring/Summer RTW 2022 collection.

A summer of skin

Speaking of sultry, showcasing more skin and stripping off the excessive layers seems to be a theme for this spring/summer. While the fall/winter 2021/2022 trends were dominated by ski-inspired outfits, this time around, we’re stripping off the ski gear and replacing it with beachwear.

We’re not just talking about what will be trending on the seacoast, but this mode of fashion is also penetrating everyday casual wear. Minimalist bras were worn as tops and were styled with pieces you wouldn’t necessarily combine together, such as pleated skirts, suits, and jackets.

This trend was fashioned amongst an array of designers, including David Koma, Coach, and 16Arlington. The skin of summer is a celebration of vibrancy, joy, and liberation. Designer David Koma described the mood as “the marrying of swimwear with Old Hollywood glamour”.

Platforms and flatforms

While gladiator shoes are clearly making a fashion comeback, nothing could compare to the number of platforms we saw on the runways. The higher the better was the motto of the trend, fashioned by top designers, such as Versace, Chanel, and Saint Laurent.

They had a true Bratz dolls feel, which is in line with the overall idiosyncratic theme of spring/summer 2022. Bringing us back the confidence to channel our inner diva, platforms are a true ‘90s statement.

Platform women’s boots can easily be styled with the sheer bohemian dresses and micro power suits that are trending this season.

The new bohemian

‘60s hippie revolution meets the 2022 youthful revival of joy in the most exuberating trend this season – the new bohemian.

Psychedelic and retro-inspired prints dominated Fendi’s S/S 2022 collection, which blends “empowering femininity, modern elegance, and ’70s glamour” and explores “a vision of an optimistic, dynamic future”. Similarly, flower power was the main theme of Trina Turk’s Spring 2022 RTW collection, while Gabriela Hearst revived crochet designs in fun colourways.

The best news of the season is that flares are back by virtue of Etro, whose dreamy collection is one-of-a-kind. Flowy dresses in bohemian patterns were also a staple on the runway. Rodarte astonished with its pastel mushroom prints and elegant satin fabrics, while Coperni fashioned acid-style smiley face prints.

This spring/summer, you can be as fearless and daring as you wish because the fashion scene is as vivid and idiosyncratic as it’s ever been. The street runway is truly yours to rock!

Sources

https://www.whowhatwear.co.uk/spring-summer-2022-fashion-trends

https://wwd.com/fashion-news/shows-reviews/gallery/chanel-rtw-spring-1234965058/chanel-rtw-spring-2022-60/

https://wwd.com/fashion-news/shows-reviews/gallery/moschino-rtw-spring-1234915218/

https://us.maxmara.com/editorial/runway-spring-summer

https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2022-ready-to-wear/hermes

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https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2022-ready-to-wear/coach

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https://wwd.com/fashion-news/shows-reviews/gallery/trina-turk-rtw-spring-1234906533/trina-turk-rtw-spring-2022-9/

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