The New Brands And Key Trends To See You Through 2022 In Style

Is it 2022 or 2002? You could be mistaken for thinking we’ve traveled back in time, as belly chains, bucket hats, low-slung baggy pants and bodycon dresses made their audacious return to the runways. Yes, it’s not just ‘Bennifer’ that’s made a comeback: Y2K fashion is having a revival. As a look that is filled with color, energy, nostalgia and irreverence, we’re all for it. It’s quite a dramatic 180 from the muted minimalism that has reigned supreme in recent years – and for millennials who wore this trend the first time around, it can feel daunting to consider it again, two decades on. Fear not, though, for there are plenty of chic wide-leg jeans, ribbed cardigans, ‘baguette’ bags and sleek rimless shades that nod to the early noughties in a more grown-up way. Try Paco Rabanne’s glitzy chainmail earrings for a subtle take, or really go for it in Rotate Birger Christensen’s snake-effect crop top and baggy denim jeans. Your style muses? The originals are Aaliyah, Destiny’s Child and Lauren Conrad. Nowadays, look to Dua Lipa, Rihanna, the Hadid sisters, and the entire cast of Euphoria.

An exciting array of covetable labels and emerging designers join NET-A-PORTER this year. First up, January sees the arrival of an overhauled French maison and a buzzy London-based brand…

Patou’s Instagram bio reads: “Couture with a smile and an eco-mind.” With French fashion designer Guillaume Henry now at the helm of the 108-year-old heritage house (formerly known as Jean Patou), it is undergoing a resurgence. Henry is the fashion alchemist who revamped French brand Nina Ricci (amongst others) in 2018, and is known for thoughtfully reworking house signatures. At Patou, sustainability is at the core of the brand’s contemporary shapes – a gorgeous, cropped cable-knit cardigan, for instance, which has been consciously crafted from recycled wool, pairs perfectly with high-rise, wide-leg jeans.

LVMH Prize 2020 finalist and 2021 Fashion Award winner Priya Ahluwalia launched her eponymous label in 2018. The London-based designer is laser-focused on creating forward-thinking designs patched together from vintage and upcycled materials. Drawing on her dual Indian-Nigerian heritage for inspiration, her collections are nostalgic yet modern, and utterly unique. Having cut her teeth in menswear, Ahluwalia launched womenswear for the first time this season, describing it as clothes to make you feel ready to go out and party in. We can’t wait to take her ruched silk ‘Augusta’ dress for a twirl.

From cobalt blue to cheerful yellow, a rainbow of colors saturated the SS22 runways. With floor-skimming, scarlet-colored gowns at Chloé to hot-pink suiting at Alexander McQueen, think head-to-toe columns of color. The effect? A mood-boosting, head-turning, statement look. It’s pure sartorial serotonin.

Thigh-skimming? Check. Ruched? Check. Figure-hugging? Check. The bodycon dress is back in a big way this season, bringing with it a liberating fashion mood. While on the surface this look is all about sensuality, at a deeper level it’s about showing some skin with pride. Look to Khaite, Magda Butrym, David Koma and the brand founded by the original ‘King of Cling’, Alaïa. Style yours with Versace’s vertiginous platforms and bags of attitude.

To embrace the youthful, fearless energy of the summer runways in a decidedly more demure way, peekaboo cut-outs are perfect. Take Christopher Esber and Proenza Schouler’s chic midis that reveal just a slice of skin at the waist. Or check out Helmut Lang’s ribbed top with asymmetric cut-outs running along the shoulder and back – it will look equally divine with loosely tailored pants or love-worn denims.

SS22’s best trends and how to wear them now

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