As real-life runways begin to make a return, fashion’s biggest names have been busy unveiling their 2022 menswear lines.
If there was any doubt remaining over whether or not fashion is taking a progressive step forward, it has well and truly dissolved by now. This season, many of the most prominent labels within the industry have recognised the global demand for genderfluid fashion, with the lines between the traditional feminine and masculine being blurred throughout.
We’ve also seen a return for many of fashion’s most long-standing menswear trends – sharp tailoring, vintage silhouettes and statement detailing are amongst the accents being showcased by fashion giants on the runway in recent weeks.
If you’ve yet to catch up on the latest in menswear, scroll on for DDW’s look at the high-end menswear of Spring 2022.
We’ve previously shared our predictions on the rise of dressing up for every occasion post-lockdown. It seems that Giorgio Armani’s creative team have recognised this upcoming movement in fashion, redesigning what it means to go ‘smart-casual’ in the post-pandemic age.
Having built a reputation for showcasing the smartest within men’s tailoring, Giorgio Armani appear to be very firmly moving with the times as we preview their 2022 output, putting together a collection of looks that appear to have taken just as much inspiration from The Great Gatsby as they have from the tennis court athleisure of the 1980s.
Slim-fit seems to have taken a backseat at Armani this year, making way for lighter, wide-cut styles. There are still staple pieces throughout the collection – sweaters, blazers and button-downs – though they’ve certainly taken on a different silhouette for 2022. Gone are the tight, structured fits, with the 2022 collection favouring a more loose-fitting, casual look.
Despite such changes, however, Armani maintains their reputation for putting out collections that ooze effortless cool throughout.
When it comes to the aforementioned rise of gender-fluid fashion, Prada are leading the charge – and they’re doing a fantastic job.
Prada’s Spring 2022 collection is all about taking the traditional features of gender-specific clothing and working to adjust them for a whole new demographic. Silhouettes, colours and individual garments that may have once been considered to fit a little more neatly into the wardrobe of a certain gender have been played with to great effect, creating a collection that – whilst its official release has been on menswear runways – would work perfectly as a collection with no specific target-gender. There are boxy silhouettes, cinched waists, both loose and slim-fit tailoring – there’s undoubtedly something here for everyone.
The looks on show here may not be to the taste of absolutely everyone, but they are a reflection of fashion’s new direction – one in which everyone is welcome to express their individuality in style.
The latest menswear collection from Dolce & Gabbana is certainly varied, with the runway featuring everything from decadently designed three-piece suits to underwear-only looks that leave very little to the imagination.
If we had to cite a particular decade as the apparent inspiration for D&G’s latest menswear collection, there would be little deliberation to be had – a mere look at this collection instantly provokes comparisons to the high-end fashion of the late-1990s to early-00s period. Bold, brash and visibly hedonistic, this collection would have seemed right at home on the runways of twenty years ago.
Yet there is, undoubtedly, something about this collection that is incredibly modern – though who could expect anything else from Dolce & Gabbana? Once again, the label has cemented their place at the forefront of reworking vintage and retro looks for a 21st century audience.
Fendi’s latest menswear collection puts a futuristic twist on some of fashion’s classic staples.
This collection is one which certainly doesn’t shy away from adapting trends of decades past for a more fashion-forward, youthful demographic, once again stepping further into the world of gender-fluid fashion. There are notes of business casual, formal and athleisure throughout the collection, proving once again that Fendi are a brand that have nailed the art of creating a perfect look for every occasion.
The colours throughout the individual pieces are fairly muted, though the looks overall are as vibrant as they come. We can safely say that Fendi’s Spring 2022 Menswear collection encapsulates the fashion zeitgeist of the 2020s in a way that few other brands could.