The state of the fashion industry in Spring 2022
As we emerge from Winter, we want to take some time to reflect on the state of the fashion industry. It is a good time to take stock, just as the year’s luxurious spring collections move from their reveal at Fashion month to the racks on the high-street.
In Milan, London, New York and Paris; the collective mood emanating from the catwalks was one of real optimism in the face of the harrowing news that hit the world. We saw a mix of dressy, formal looks as well as more sleek, paired back clothes that combined to make luxurious but versatile outfits that you can throw together and be worn both to the shops and a party.
There were both chic minimalist looks that could have been pulled from a woman in the alleyways of Paris, as well as ultra creative and revealing pieces that are only acceptable on the catwalk and worn by fashionista’s such as Kim Kardashian.
Whilst this piece is about trends, in many ways one theme of fashion month was doing away with rigid ideas of what is “in” or relevant, and replaced it with a daring attitude where people were willing to take risks and create new trends.
Another feature of the fashion world is that it has ever more become focussed around the ways in which pieces of clothing can translate into images on social media. The way your pieces of clothing look on both Instagram and Tik Tok are now essentially a vital part of making a successful collection. This trend has resulted in designers being encouraged to use loud colours which will pop on an Instagram grid and stick out to someone who is scrolling, and revealing items that fit the fashion expectations of their new target audience.
TikTok was omnipresent over fashion month, where companies vied for the attention of young people and attempted to make sure that their collections included various touchstones for the “Euphoria” generation of Fashion fans. This goes beyond securing the eyeballs of this generation, it is also about demonstrating your appreciation of their fashion tastes and the way in which they are buying, by reflecting the trends that emerge on marketplaces like Depop or Ebay.
If you’ve found our exploration of the fashion industry as it is now, you might also find our guide to emulating the best looks of fashion month helpful. Or, if you want to learn more about a slice of high fashions past, we delved into the archives and examined Vivienne Westwood’s Boucher collection. Finally, if you want some advice from an expert on the world of fashion, look no further than French style icon Philippine Leroy–Beaulieu, one of the star’s of the hit show Emily in Paris.
