NYFW Spring-Summer 2022 Spotted Trends
As the fall season starts, we are all grateful and excited for NYFW to be back as we feel the New York energy elevate again. We were curious to see how designers will navigate NYFW through the pandemic safely but still in the spirit as fashion month commences. Looking through the shows, there are a couple of consistent predicted trends that appeared for spring/summer 2022.
Puffy Sleeves
Puffy sleeves represent an old-fashioned and feminine design choice for gowns; it’s also reminiscent of the classic ‘80s puffy sleeve prom dresses (Andie from Pretty in Pink as a reference). Puffy sleeves are a statement and showcase extravagance. Its design element delivers intensity and attracts attention. The puff sleeve is the most persistent trend I’ve noticed on the runways for the upcoming season. Carolina Herrera dominated the puff sleeve as most of the gowns incorporated the design.
Most might say that the puff sleeve is tacky, but Carolina Herrera made it tasteful, elegant, and striking. Bibhu Mohapatra also included the puff sleeve with neutral tones and a mix of modern yet slightly feminine details. Tanya Taylor takes on the puff design in a direction where it is in tune with cottagecore and Little House on the Prairie, which is the key design for this style. From my observations, it seems that a cottagecore-esque girly Spring/Summer will make an appearance again.
Plaid is a *Summer* Essential
Although plaid is known strictly as Fall uniform, designers are doing a 180 and making it a trend for Spring/Summer. To kick it off, the Tory Burch collection was seen in the streets of Soho with a lot of plaid going on. Although Burch wanted to give a nod to American fashion, I can’t help but think about Scottish heritage when it comes to the plaid maxi skirts in her collection.
Since plaid is known to have a strong connection to fall, it seems that the plaid pattern is going full circle all year round. The pattern also works well with Spring/Summer in a way where it is seen as picnic and countryside style. Plaid was also seen on the runway at Coach. Coach presents plaid where it still relates to fall with light coats but makes it wearable for Spring/Summer because of the mix of bright colors like pink, aqua, lime, white, and orange.
Colorful blazers
Blazers have become a huge trend for 2-3 years now, but for Spring/Summer 2021, neon hues took over most of the runways. Vibrant and energetic colors were coming into play last year as the world was slowly but surely coming out of this pandemic. A neon palette is a way to represent that people were ready to dress up, be creative, and get back into the groove of things. I am happy to see that this trend is still on the rise, and was seen at a good amount of shows. Sergio Hudson had a vivacious palette filled with chic blazers.
Most people might not be drawn to a colorful blazer and just stick to neutrals, but this collection included youthful yet sophisticated blazers that take you from boss babe to an all-nighter. Next, Tom Ford brought all the shimmer in his recent collection. Almost every piece of clothing in the show was either metallic or covered in sequins. The blazers themselves were statement pieces as there were pink and blue metallic jackets, electric neon suede, and a touch of cheetah metallic. Whew! Wolk Morais showcased the same concept as Tom Ford, but a soften downed version. The collection consisted of metallic and colorful blazers worn by both feminine and masculine models for business during the day and Studio 54 vibes at night.
Light Knitwear
Light knitwear was a key staple this past summer as crop tops, bralettes, coverups, shorts, wide-leg pants, skirts, you name it. It was a cozy yet breezy way to dress for the summer while still looking put together. Jacquemus is known for this type of trend in his recent collections, but a few designers for NYFW are now on the wave.
Victor Glemaud mostly showcased light knitwear in his S/S collection; the looks were in a soft pink and pistachio color that is perfect for the next Spring/ Summer season. They were casual yet stylish enough for a tropical vacation or a day spent in a hot climate. The knits look breathable and include cutouts to show a touch of skin. I definitely want to get my hands on these looks for next summer or year-round if you’re from Miami like me.
Jonathan Simkhai also hopped on this with looks that could be worn as chic resort wear. The collection contained pastels with blue, yellow, and lilac. The vibe gave off a relaxed bohemian style for either a trip to St. Tropez, Mykonos, Keys, Turks & Caicos, Maui, or whatever your heart desires.
Anna Sui brought all the tropic energy in her collection; nothing screams summer more than what this show presented this year’s NYFW. The collection brought all the color with its diverse palette which gave ultra jungle chicness. My favorite kind of summer knitwear is the bralettes which are mainly seen in Anna Sui; perfect for island hopping as a coverup and looking fashion-forward for a lazy vaycay.
Nowadays, it is evident that anything goes in fashion; there are no rules to follow. Fall trends start to fall in with summer wardrobe as the fashion industry starts to mix it up. Trends are lasting longer as it feels like a pause while designers continue to add a twist and be creative with how we can recycle recent trends instead of moving on to the next big thing. Which trend from NYFW S/S’22 do you think you’ll still be styling for next summer?