It’s been six arduous months since we last saw a Haute Couture collection on the runway.
The grande couturières who presented their Spring/Summer 2022 collections in Paris in late January were certainly aware, in the infamous words of the late great André Leon Talley, that our eyes were starving for beauty.
Virginie Viard, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Pierpaolo Piccioli and Daniel Roseberry, who are amongst some of the greatest talents of their generation, exceed every expectation of what fashion in the finest form should be in 2022.
Dopamine dressing was a key theme at Valentino, with light materials in saturated hues woven into contemporary gowns and androgynous cuts, ushering a new age for Haute Couture as a whole.
No longer are Valentino’s designs for a specific type of woman, age, gender and race transcended conventional norms at the maison’s Place Vendôme salon.
Schiaparelli’s collection was imagination personified and an exemplar of creativity. Bold silhouettes were embraced and, in some cases, subverted in favour of space age realness.
Chanel even offered a special guest—a Monégasque Princess on horseback.
While this season showcased that Haute Couture is moving forward in leaps and bounds, there were some common trends that tied the collections together.
From the accent du jour to high class glamour, we’ve rounded up the five trends from the Spring/Summer 2022 Haute Couture shows that are stepping off the runway and into your wardrobe.
Luscious Sequins
While Paco Rabanne has been the longstanding pioneer of sequins, Chanel, Dior, Fendi and Valentino embraced the embroidered look and offered a new spin on this eye-catching flourish. Clearly this bead was the accent du jour, incorporated into puka-shell maxi dresses and sleeveless vest.
Flamboyant Feathers
Another favoured finish was faux feathers, spotted everywhere from model’s eyelashes to their high-fashion stockings. While this material is now commonplace on the runway, our grande couturières made a case for their feather adorned gowns to be an A-lister favourite on the red carpet this award season. We can just see it now.
Chic Cutouts
Given the rise of black bodycon cutouts amongst our favourite millennial superstars—namly Kendall Jenner and Dua Lipa—these collections proved the look is not just exclusive for prêt-à-porter. Glenn Martens for Jean Paul Gaultier presented cutout slacks, styled on Meadow Walker, while, across Paris, Piccoli opened his presentation with a sleeveless keyhole cutout.
Over The Top Trains
With trains being one of the biggest red carpet trends for 2021, it made sense that the designers were bringing it into the new year. Giambattista Valli had trains for days, accented here and there with a bow or two. Kim Jones on the other hand paired it with mini skirts for maximum impact.
Statement Shoulders
Statement accessories are out and statement shoulders are in. For the ultimate extravagant look, pile on georgette or tulle to accent this anatomical feature like Schiaparelli and Giambattista Valli. This look takes shoulder pads to the next level.
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