THE JOURNAL

A fashion designer’s nebulous goal is to mirror the times, to absorb some piece of the era we’re living through and, somehow, turn it into clothing – ideally items that people will actually want to buy. But after two years of a disruption, this task has become even more difficult to navigate. When the present feels so tentative, how can we think about the future?
Still, there’s nothing quite like a fashion show for a jolt of excitement, as well as a taste of what’s to come. Shows were not back in full swing for the AW22 collections in January, but this was the closest to normality, whatever that is, since early 2020, and the clothes felt all the more confident for it. Silhouettes were big, colours were bold and the overall mood was one of optimism. The definition of menswear continues to blur and warp with each season. This means no consistent through-line that tells men how to dress right now.
There’s an exhilaration that comes with this newfound freedom, though, if a little apprehension. And overall, the trends we spotted presented an opportunity to get us out of a rut, try something new and encouragement to move forward.
01.
Cream is the bravest colour

From left: Auralee. Photograph courtesy of Auralee. Zegna. Photograph courtesy of Zegna. Jil Sander. Photograph by IMAXTREE.COM. Vetements. Photograph courtesy of Vetements
You have to have a lot of gumption to copy what you see on the runway, but some trends require more courage than others. Case in point, the all-cream outfits in luxurious fabrics on tailoring at Auralee, Zegna, Jil Sander, Vetements and more, where the shades of white, ivory, ecru and bone were enough to make you want to throw all the condiments in your fridge away and vow to never be in spilling distance of coffee again. It was the picture of effortless elegance, of course, but if you want to get in on this one, you might consider putting your dry cleaner on speed dial first.
02.
Dressing like a glass of malbec

From left: Alyx. Photograph by Mr Filippo Fior/IMAXTREE.COM. Prada. Photograph by Mr Filippo Fior/IMAXTREE.COM. Paul Smith. Photograph courtesy of Paul Smith
If, on the other hand, you could never give up red wine for the sake of your outfit, this one’s for you. As well as cream, the AW22 runways were drunk with a dark and grapey crimson, which was seen on sharp suits and knitwear at Paul Smith, 1017 ALYX 9SM and Fendi, while Prada showed a couple of cabernet-coloured coats.
03.
Back to the office with a bang

From left: Kenzo. Photograph by IMAXTREE.COM. Fendi. Photograph by Mr Filippo Fior/IMAXTREE.COM. Etro. Photograph by Mr Filippo Fior/IMAXTREE.COM. Rhude. Photograph courtesy of Rhude
As Ms Dorothy Parker once wrote: “I hate the office; it cuts in on my social life”. And though the impending return to the office may fill us with dread, at least the designers have something to cheer us with. The mood in Paris and Milan was decidedly smart and office-appropriate, with Kenzo, which was this season taken over by Japanese designer Nigo to huge fanfare, joining Fendi, Etro and Rhude in showing jazzed-up salaryman suits that were ideal for taking you from desk to dinner.
04.
Feminine floral motifs

From left: Dior. Photograph by IMAXTREE.COM. Sacai. Photograph courtesy of Sacai. Etro. Photograph by Mr Filippo Fior/IMAXTREE.COM
Floral prints continue to make appearances on the runway as masculinity continues to loosen up. As such, delicate botanic motifs embellished sweaters at Dior and bomber jackets at Sacai, while intarsia floral knits showed at Kenzo and Etro. It’s all slightly grannycore, but in a way that feels of-the-moment, too.
05.
Super-statement shearling

From left: Kenzo. Photograph by IMAXTREE.COM. Sacai. Photograph courtesy of Sacai. Hermès. Photograph by Mr Daniele Oberrauch/IMAXTREE.COM. LOEWE. Photograph by Mr Daniele Oberrauch/IMAXTREE.COM
Shearling looks set to be huge for 2022. Head-turning coats and jackets with shearling in varying shapes and colours were some of the most interesting pieces this season. At Kenzo, they were hooded. At Hermès, the wool was a great shade of turquoise. And at Sacai, they were glossy and oversized.
06.
Mary Janes for him

From left: Fendi. Photograph by Mr Filippo Fior/IMAXTREE.COM. JW Anderson. Photograph courtesy of JW Anderson. Comme des Garçons. Photograph by Avalon
With pearls and skirts trending over recent seasons for men brave enough to wear them, perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Mary Janes have come stomping down the menswear runway. JW Anderson showed candy-coloured ones, while at Comme des Garçons, they were black with ankle straps. Fendi stole the show, however, by featuring a time-piece on the shoe-strap so it resembled a watch.
07.
Show us your pants

From left: Y/Project. Photograph by Mr Daniele Oberrauch/IMAXTREE.COM. Dior. Photograph by IMAXTREE.COM. LOEWE. Photograph by Mr Daniele Oberrauch/IMAXTREE.COM
Originally popularised by hip-hop artists in the 1990s, wearing low-slung pants that showed your underwear (known as sagging) appears to have made a comeback. This time, though, it’s less about wearing your trousers low and just getting your undies out anyway, as at Dior where they were tucked over shirts (rather smartly, as it happens), or at Y/Project, where tracksuit tops were hiked up to reveal underwear bands. And at LOEWE, a trompe l’oeil T-shirt printed with a naked torso even had visible underpants included.
08.
A gothic renaissance

From left: Rick Owens. Photograph by Mr Alessandro Lucioni/IMAXTREE.COM. Louis Vuitton. Photograph by Estrop/Getty Images. Egonlab. Photograph by Mr Daniele Oberrauch/IMAXTREE.COM
Forget year of the tiger; 2022 is year of the goth. Full black garb appeared in myriad collections – huge capes, jackets with big shoulders, louche suits showed the shade at its most theatrical, glamorous and anarchic. Mr Rick Owens, the industry’s so-called “Lord of Darkness”, did it in trademark fashion, while Egonlab, a newcomer French brand, presented an excellent collection that was based on the idea of authentic inclusivity. Black does look good on everyone, after all.
09.
The new Ivy League

From left: Louis Vuitton. Photograph by Mr Dominique Charriau/Getty Images. Kenzo. Photograph by IMAXTREE.COM. AMI PARIS. Photograph by Mr Daniele Oberrauch/IMAXTREE.COM. Undercover. Photograph courtesy of Undercover
Letterman jackets were a regular sight among showgoers at Paris Fashion Week this season, and there were plenty in the shows themselves, too. Louis Vuitton, AMI PARIS and Undercover all presented their own take on the varsity jacket. Meanwhile at Kenzo, Ivy League prep was combined with a retro 1980s sensibility, with jackets emblazoned with the brand’s iconic tiger to create a convincing mashup of an American letterman and a Japanese sukajan, or souvenir jacket.
10.
Big cat coats

From left: Jil Sander. Photograph by IMAXTREE.COM. Dior. Photograph by IMAXTREE.COM. AMI PARIS. Photograph by Mr Daniele Oberrauch/IMAXTREE.COM
Animal prints have prowled the runway for many seasons now, and are still going strong. The current king of the jungle appears to be leopard, which appeared on swishing statement coats at AMI, Dior and Jil Sander.