As fashion month draws to a close after the highly anticipated Spring/Summer ‘22 live runway comebacks and a new dawn of digital presentations, we round up the highlights and top trends across the fashion capitals. Take note of these must-have trends and new brands to watch to stay ahead of the fashion game for the SS22.

LOVE LETTER TO NEW YORK

As fashion week dawned on the city that never sleeps, Michael Kors merged his two loves of live performances and The Big Apple into the foundations of his new collection. A floral backdrop adorned the runway with 1950’s silhouettes balancing out his typically sharp tailoring, avoiding a retro comeback with his modern take on delicate lace ensembles that oozed romance and femininity. Power pastels were at the forefront with his incredible ability to cut a suit in baby blue and petal pink, radiating cool, confident optimism down the runway. Similarly, sherbet yellow made an appearance at Max Mara and was the hue favoured amongst a few designers this season. Macrame made headlines at Jonathan Simkhai, his inspiration taking a more relaxed bohemian feel with hand-tied details paired with bright mélange knits. Philip Lim also showed that spring knitwear is a key and iconic material for the label. Easy to wear with unexpected detailing, the bright acid colours of SS22 are lifted from his flower garden at home, a welcome change from his usual monochromatic styles.

LONDON CALLING

Across the pond, Burberry showed an abstract, deconstructed and re-imagined vision of its famous house codes. Riccardo Tisci's approach for SS22 was reinterpreting Burberry's classic pieces, starting with the renowned trench. Opening the show, coats were long at the front and playfully cropped and cutaway at the back. Abstract animal prints were drawn on lightweight dresses reminiscent of childhood butterfly motifs. These playful prints added a childlike sense of wonder to the signature bold cuts that embody Burberry's heritage. Heavily fringed detailing was also prevalent, adding that extra dose of drama we have all longed for. At Eudon Choi, we saw inspiration taken from Brazil, specifically Rio de Janeiro's Carnival. Choi's ever-present emphasis on wearability can be seen in his interpretation of the classic trench, constructed in a relaxed draped shimmering tangerine ensemble. The Brazilian influence also showed in dresses and shirting with exaggerated floral prints, conveyed through painterly strokes in indigo blue and paired with pastel summery hues.

MILAN MOMENT

La dolce vita at Milan Fashion week is never one to disappoint. A kaleidoscope of colour, texture prints and pattern were all seen coming down the runway. Starting with new to Ounass, Versace’s star-studded show featured Dua Lipa, Naomi Campbell, Emily Ratajkowski, and Lourdes Leon swishing down the catwalk in the house’s iconic chain mail, dipped in hot pink and burnt orange – the event momentarily almost broke the internet. Meanwhile, Italian icon Dolce & Gabbana opted for a precious metal palette with a smattering of crystals inspired by the Y2K fever and their very own year 2000 collection. Arguably, the most talked-about highlight of the week was the Fendi and Versace swap. Kim Jones took the reins at Versace and what prevailed was a collision of iconic house codes and logo-mania. Versace’s signature baroque scarf print was overlaid with Fendi’s FF monogram, bringing a sense of more is more this season. Minimalistic colour blocking was a top priority for Prada, with a spectacular runway shown simultaneously across both sides of the world, one in Milan and the other in Shanghai. Each event live-streamed the alternate as a backdrop highlighting a new digital era in fashion. Tailoring was on the tip of everyone’s tongues as suiting took centre stage in crisp whites at Fendi, fluorescents at Versace, metallics at Dolce & Gabbana and subdued neutrals at Prada.

PARISIAN SEASON

Fashion month closes with the grand finale in the French capital, with archival pieces and icons being celebrated from show to show. Saint Laurent’s powerful spring-summer collection was once again shown against the sparkling backdrop of the Eiffel Tower. A thundering waterfall cascaded down the pyrotechnic light display, with the drama continuing straight on to the clothes. Power shoulders were favoured throughout the show as if Anthony Vaccarello found the ’80s inspired blazers, dresses and spandex unitards in the YSL archive. Balmain’s square link chain details that framed the female body were the symbolic point of connection across his collection. A unique archival section, opened by Naomi Campbell and closed by Carla Bruni, highlighted Olivier Rousteing’s 10th anniversary at the fashion house. Paco Rabanne opted to reinvent the iconic chainmail dress and metallic colour palettes with an injection of ’70s bohemian set against a vibrant, tiled Monaco backdrop. Julien Dossena celebrated geometrics in all their glory, seen on bucket hats, crop-tops and chainmail scarfs. His clever knack for design always ensures a new sense of sophistication. At Valentino, Pierpaolo Piccioli returned with a proposition to casualize couture for a new generation. Floral prints floated between genders, and ultra-feminine styles were paired with combat boots and chunky oversized accessories for a more relaxed approach. Isabel Marant’s simple ethos was “fun clothes for good times” in a similar display. She juxtaposed iconic billowing floral broderie ensembles with ’80s inspired board shorts and shell suits for the ultimate laid-back Miami beach vibe. Both designers embraced a new era of uncompromised yet wearable fashion, inspiring a new generation of the fashion elite.