The Y2K, Futuristic, Denim-Inspired Dreamland of FW22

Enter the Y2K, Futuristic, Denim-Inspired Dreamland of Fall/Winter 2022 Fashion Month

Claiming that FW22 Fashion Month was eventful would simply be an understatement. Teeming with events, Fashion Month took place from January 15th to March 8th, 2022, and while it is fair to say it was quite a busy month, who would really be surprised? We are in the roaring twenties, after all! But don’t worry, we have recapped all the looks that defined Fall 2022 Fashion Month just below. Now, where to begin?

written by gracie wipfli art by sabrina sylvester

Kickstarting this jam-packed month, the Men’s Autumn/Winter shows were presented in Milan and Paris from January 15th to January 23rd. One of the most prominent trends reflected the contemporary departure from traditionally masculine silhouettes. For instance, Fendi’s January 15th show featured elegant satin detailing, tweed coats, and schoolgirl Mary Janes, the brand aiming to “[reimagine] a gentleman’s wardrobe for the New Roaring Twenties that breaks all boundaries of the sartorial archetype.” However, Virgil Abloh’s final menswear collection with Louis Vuitton was undoubtedly the most celebrated and poignant show of the week. Overall, the collection highlighted the late designer’s mastery of “awareness towards [his] own mortality,” incorporated in Abloh’s take on the modern suit, meticulous styling, and signature streetwear.

Preceding Menswear, from January 24th to January 27th, Paris Haute Couture served a wide array of looks displaying expert craftsmanship and ethereal extravagance. Most strikingly, the Schiaparelli show on January 24th exhibited utmost ingenuity, Daniel Roseberry stating, “I wanted to do something that looked totally unlike anybody else. Nothing else should look like this.” The monumental collection featured a distinctly black and white color palette, simple yet precise tailoring among every garment, and large, enchanting gold structures mimicking planets in orbit. On January 26th, the houses of Alexandre Vauthier and Viktor & Rolf also debuted similarly dazzling collections. Many sequins and feathers adorned Vauthier’s elegantly crafted gowns, blazers, and coats. Equally alluring, although perhaps more uncanny, Viktor & Rolf’s peculiar yet fascinating collection included exaggerated necklines, trench coats, and Dracula-inspired silhouettes.

From February 11th to February 16th, New York Fashion Week once again occupied the streets of Manhattan. Continuing the momentum from the previous season by embracing unabashed variations of femininity, A-line maxi skirts were a popular preference among many houses such as Jason Wu, Altuzarra, and Peter Do. More specifically, Jason Wu’s glamorous collection highlighted elegance in vividly colored maxi skirts, Altuzarra’s wanderlust-inspired February 13th show accentuated strength in its floor-length wool skirts, and Peter Do’s February 15th show accented more neutrality in long, pleated skirts. Either way, in tandem with the previous season, these collections have proven that “with extreme fashion comes extreme hemlines. It doesn’t matter if you go long with a maxi skirt or opt for a barely-there micro-mini, as long as you’re picking one side of the hemline battlefield to stand on.” As for trending hues throughout the week, brown tones and marigold shades definitely stood out among a widespread neutral color palette. For example, Helmut Lang’s February 11th collection displayed a striking mocha pantsuit, and Victor Glemaud’s February 13th show included muted tangerine jersey dresses. However, Telfar Clemen’s closing day “post-seasonal mega-collection” titled “PERFORMANCE” was perhaps New York Fashion Week’s most showstopping event, Clemens stating, “This is the place where we can experiment, where we can talk to people directly without having to censor ourselves, without having to talk through an audience of mainstream media or whiteness. It’s not about how many people are watching it, or how many more bags we can sell, it’s literally about freedom.” Following New York, Milan Fashion Week took place from February 22nd to February 28th, widely displaying a variety of royal blues, broad-shouldered coats, lingerie ensembles, and leather garments. Early in the week, Fausto Puglisi’s February 23rd Cavalli show garnered attention for its use of sexy, sharp torso cut-outs and the designer’s classic animal print. Still, perhaps the most intriguing part of the Cavalli show was Puglisi’s surprising integration of tartan into five of the collection’s looks, allegedly collaborating with Queen Elizabeth II’s tartan maker to create these plaid textiles.

Altogether, the Cavalli show was successful in that it communicated a discerning yet markedly sexy aura. Also taking place on February 23rd, Kim Jones’ Fendi show similarly received significant buzz. Jones’ looks seemed to recall a particular softness often reflected in Y2K trends, implementing a multitude of sheer fabrics, pastel hues in contrast with richer tones, and ruffles in tweed jackets and leather ensembles alike.

Although, Glenn Martens’ Diesel collection was likely the most memorable runway of February 23rd and possibly one of the most dazzling Milan shows in general. At this point in the month, not only was Martens presenting his collection for Diesel, but he had also previously presented his first couture show for Johnpaul Gutierrez only a few weeks prior, all while prepping for his future Y/Project collection the following month in Paris. Martens’ Diesel runway was a reclaiming moment for the house, represented by Y2K, youthful, edgy, pop-revival garments such as his floor-length denim coat and distressed logo t-shirts. Undoubtedly, some of the most eye-catching looks were the three models painted in shimmering baby pink, marigold, and cerulean body sheen while wearing skin-hugging matching mini skirt sets and dresses. Next, on February 24th, Simone Rizzo and Loris Messina hosted Sunnei’s noticeably fast-paced show. The collection was broadcast to viewers digitally, displaying models quite literally running down a concrete strip runway, almost dead-pan embodying the mentality of “model-on-the-go.” Dressed in sleek, minimal garments with pops of vibrant cerulean, cherry red, and pale yellow, the designers “used a new technical fabric that extends and stretches, perfect for layering.” Lastly, on February 26th, Bottega wowed spectators, creative director Matthieu Blazy stating, “The idea was to bring back energy, a silhouette that really expressed motion, because Bottega is a bag company, so you go somewhere, you don’t stay home. This collection basically is a journey.” Blazy’s looks showcased various constructions of leather in a cotton mimicking white tank top, blue denim mimicking jeans, darktoned pantsuits, and buttoned overcoats. Overall, if Bottega aimed to exude energy, this collection only amplified those same qualities.

Wrapping up Fashion Month, Paris Fashion Week began February 28th and concluded on March 8th. On March 1st, the Saint Laurent show was elegantly backlit by a glimmering Eiffel Tower as models cascaded down the runway in glamorous, sophisticated silhouettes. The collection was said to be “Belgian-inspired,” likely due to creative director Anthony Vaccarello’s Belgian roots, highlighting an abundance of primarily monochrome garments in dark brown, black, and the occasional cream hue. Similar to Milan, the Saint Laurent show focused on a more covert, mature manifestation of sexiness. Acne Studios offered a more contemporary vibe in their March 2nd runway, which strove to amalgamate “ideas and feelings.” Unconventionally, the show was also soundtracked live by the legendary electronic musician Suzanne Ciani, thus adding to the eccentric feel. The house’s collection included patchwork denim skirts, leather double-breasted trenchcoats, and oversized quilted dresses. All in all, Acne Studios presented a relatively futuristic, explorative, yet elevated and refined take on current fashion. The Rick Owens March 3rd Winter collection comparably exhibited lighter tones in their garments while recalling “Cecil B. DeMille’s 1930s Art Deco black-and-white interpretation of the bible.” Amidst the foggy runway, Owens’ modern take on mortality featured stark white streamlined coats and dresses, exaggerated shoulders, a variety of extended capes, and a discernible nod to Ukraine in the yellow and aqua blue combination looks, Owens stating, “We’re an industry that has to support a lot of people, there’s no reason to make an excuse for that. We are people who express the best that aesthetics has to offer. And that’s of great social and cultural value.” The following day, on March 4th, Jonathan Anderson’s Loewe collection centered around the word “primal,” his pursuant vision for the house displayed in multiple surrealist, avant-garde looks such as dresses with car-shaped hemlines or accessorized balloons. March 6th saw the Givenchy collection sticking to relatively monotone shades, implementing primarily dark greens and black into their seventy-one looks consisting of abundant leather and streetwear-inspired silhouettes. Finally, the house of Miu Miu took to the runway on March 8th as Fashion Month’s closing industry show. The collection was noticeably sport-oriented, reflecting a playful take on traditional tennis fashion. As Miu Miu has had a significant influence over the Y2K wave, each look incorporated variations of low-rise pants, lingerie influences, sheer tops, crystal-encrusted dresses, knitted socks, and, of course, the house’s signature micro mini skirts.

Sadly, another Fashion Month has come and gone, and thus begins the waiting game until next season’s collections. For now, let’s all reflect on the feverish trend towards Y2K, the resurgence of denim mania, futuristic interpretations of modern fashion, experimental implementations of leather, and dark-shaded color palettes featuring the occasional pastel or jewel tone. Until next season!