The A-Z Of Fashion Month AW22

It’s hard to believe, but it’s already that time again: fashion week. As quickly as we waved goodbye to SS22, AW22 is now here to say ‘hello’, with fashion’s faces descending on New York, London, Milan, and Paris. With life in ‘new-normal’ mode, the majority of brands were back on the runway, sharing their new collections and inspiring a new set of trends you’re going to see everywhere by the time autumn rolls around. Here, we unpack the highlights and cover anything you might have missed.

A is for… Artshion. For the second season on the trot, LOEWE’s Jonathan Anderson pushed the boundaries of fashion into a surreal space. With clothes that look like they belong in a gallery, 3D printed dresses seemed to be frozen in motion on the models. Elsewhere, playful balloons sprouted and blown up lips formed the bustier of flowing gowns. However, the collection’s Mona Lisa had to be the A-line dresses that exploded at the hem into the shape of a car.

B is for… Back to Black. Of course, it never really went anywhere, but for AW22, it seems that designers have reignited their interest in the classically chic combo. Rather than a sombre, funereal affair, the all-black looks that appeared at Dion Lee, Versace, Nensi Dojaka, Saint Laurent – the list goes on – certainly weren’t muted. Whether they sprouted tufts of feathers at Valentino or sparkled at Prada, the overarching mood was to bet it all on black.

C is for… Celebration. This season marks 10 years since Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta founded Eckhaus Latta. Now a firm NYFW favourite, the latest collection gave the design duo an opportunity to revisit their staples, worn by a host of friends and collaborators including Hari Nef, Paloma Elsesser, Thistle Brown, and David Moses. Here’s to the next decade!

D is for… Début. After the surprise exit of Daniel Lee, all eyes were on creative director Matthieu Blazy to see which direction he’d take Bottega Veneta next. Without a hint of Lee’s signature green, the new designer focused on movement: clothes that are brought to life when in motion, thanks to their sleek cuts. Fans of the old new Bottega will still be satiated by Blazy’s accessories: from woven sacks slung over the shoulder to the curving platform heels.

E is for… Everyone’s welcome on the runway, with designers showing that the days of one-size-fits-all mannequins are on their way out. At Prada, newer faces were interspersed with older legends like Hannelore Knuts, Liya Kebede, and Erin O’Connor, while 60s icon Penelope Tree made her runway return at Valentino at the age of 72. Brands including Marine Serre, Versace, and Chloé pushed for plus size representation, while over at Collina Strada, wheelchair model Aaron Philip made an appearance in the label’s AW22 lookbook. Last, but certainly not least, there was even a pooch toted on the runway at VETEMENTS for all the animal lovers out there.

F is for… Fabulous footwear. Calling all shoe pigs, the shortlist for our favourite footwear is in. Pick your fighter: Bottega Veneta’s orange fuzzy wedges, Balmain’s chunky platforms, or LOEWE’s balloon heels. In fact, we’ll just take a pair of each.

G is for… Gigantic dresses. Just kidding, quite the opposite in fact. A handful of designers threw caution to the season, bringing a little light summer dressing to AW22 with barely-there fashions that were more hot girl summer than warm winter fare. Still, when conjured by the creative minds of next gen stars Conner Ives, Nensi Dojaka, and Ludovic de Saint Sernin, we’re hardly complaining.

H is for… Hoods. After a bout of balaclava fever, this season saw the headwear traded for a hood. Sophisticated and futuristic, we’re worshipping at the accessories altars of Dion Lee, Marine Serre, Raf Simons, and Tom Ford.

I is for… I Spy. Along with your regular cohort of models on the runway, this season featured a handful of familiar faces from the world of television. At Paris Fashion Week, Squid Game’s HoYeon Jung opened at Louis Vuitton. Elsewhere, Euphoria’s Chloe Cherry and Hunter Schafer each made two outings at Blumarine and GCDS, and Gogo Graham and Prada respectively.

J is for… Jumbo sacks. The appetite for bags seems to oscillate wildly each season: going from teensy to gargantuan and back again. This season saw the return of the oversized carrier, with giant knapsacks slung over the shoulders of models at Balenciaga, KHAITE, Lemaire, Off-White, and Raf Simons. Big enough for everything you could possibly need (and the kitchen sink for good measure.)

K is for… Kilted out. Channel your inner Scotsman this season, with chic kilts courtesy of Collina Strada, Gucci, DSquared2, and Vivienne Westwood. Underwear optional (but nonetheless encouraged.)

L is for… Looming shoulders. A nod to the power shoulders of the 80s, Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, and Stella McCartney were among the brands turning their models into the most fashionable quarterbacks you’ve ever seen. Go for a classic shoulder pad, fancy with frills, or dystopian like Rick Owens’ horn-shouldered silhouettes.

M is for… Mix and match. Cutting through all the monochromatic looks of the season, there was a homespun comfort seen at Collina Strada, Molly Goddard, and Marine Serre. Think mismatched prints – the louder, the better – spliced together into skirts, dresses, and tops. You heard it here first: clashing is now chic.

N is for… Neo-sportswear. Showing that sportswear isn’t going anywhere any time soon, Gucci dropped their newest collaboration, this time with adidas. Following in the footsteps of Prada, Alessandro Michele’s offering turned sportswear sartorial, mixing sportier silhouettes with more traditional tailoring. Elsewhere, adidas’ signature stripes appeared on baseball caps and knee-high boots. Start queuing now if you want to get your hands on it.

O is for… Outrageously oversized outerwear. What would an autumn/winter season be without highly coveted coats? Showing that more is more, Saint Laurent paraded gargantuan faux fur chubbies while Prada went all out, covering its black puffer bombers with plumes of feathers and sequins. At Y/Project, its puffer-cum-duvet almost engulfed the model wrapped up in it.

P is for… Pink. Brightening the autumn/winter season, pops of pink cropped up at Ahluwalia, Balmain, Eckhaus Latta, Halpern, and Molly Goddard this season. Taking things to the next level, Valentino dedicated an entire collection to its shade created with Pantone. Transforming the set into the inside of a Pepto Bismol bottle, the show featured almost entirely bubblegum pink looks (save for a reprieve of monochromatic black numbers). The mandate was clear: think pink.

Q is for… Queencore. There was something regal about the OTT gowns that appeared on the runway this season. Whether it’s Queen Elizabeth on your mind or the prom queen, turn heads of your adoring followers in floor-sweeping numbers by Balmain, Off-White, Matty Bovan, and Valentino.

R is for… Red alert! While the majority of the fashion pack were betting on black this season (see: B), there were a handful who took an alternate route and wagered on red. From Acne Studios and Alaïa to Cecilie Bahnsen and Conner Ives, monochromatic red looks caught our attention.

S is for… Safety first. With COVID-19 very much still a reality, designers seem to have safety on their minds, covering their models up as much as possible. More ladylike than hazmat suit, gloves were the go-to for Acne Studios, Balmain, Bottega Veneta, Fendi, and Gucci.

T is for… The ultimate revenge dress. Fresh from her break-up with ye (formerly known as Kanye West), Uncut Gems actress Julia Fox took a turn on the runway, opening the LaQuan Smith show. Sending the crowd wild, she strutted in a slinky turtleneck dress with cutout details.

U is for… Unique. Despite the majority returning to the runway, a few labels continue to eschew in favour of lookbooks and off-schedule activations. JW Anderson enlisted Hari Nef to cosplay as Cher and Hollywood icons on billboards that were driven around Milan while Lacoste used staff and brand friends to model its latest collection – with all proceeds going towards those affected in Ukraine.

V is for… Very, very short skirts. At the SS22 shows, Miu Miu’s micro mini skirt broke the internet and quickly became the most talked about item of clothing in the fashionverse. Simultaneously raising hemlines and eyebrows, Glenn Martens’ offering at Diesel’s AW22 show is somehow shorter – that’s right, they’re not oversized belts. Leave nothing to the imagination and just about covering your modesty, these super micros are for fashion’s bravest warriors only.

W is for… We Stand With Ukraine. Impossible to ignore the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, this season saw brands including Botter, Coperni, and LOEWE show their support via yellow and blue looks that represent the country’s flag. At Balenciaga, Demna Gvasalia reflected on his own experiences as a refugee, with the show opening with a poem read in Ukrainian and closing with a duo of looks in yellow and cyan.

X is for… XXX. Richard Quinn has always delicately toed the line between fashion and fetish, often sending his models down the runway in fashion-forward latex hoods and gloves. For AW22, he tipped the scales over into the fetish side, with former RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Violet Chachki cosplaying as a rubber dominatrix, parading a harness-wearing man pup around the room on a leash. Enough to leave prudes gasping and clutching at their pearls.

Y is for… You’re fired! Give it up for Conner Ives for creating the slogan dress of the season. Modelled by Paloma Elsesser, it read: JUST SAY NO, with JOB crossed out. Controversial, yet brave.

Z is for… Zendaya. The burgeoning fashion icon and Euphoria star may have only attended a single show this season, but her appearance at Valentino – dressed in a hot pink suit to match the (almost) monochromatic collection – was enough to leave an impression. Perhaps a runway cameo for SS23? We can only hope.

Words by Dominic Cadogan. Dominic is a writer and editor from London, formerly Deputy Editor of Dazed Digital and Dazed Beauty.