2022: The year of adaptive style
Partywear and athleisure, tight and over-sized silhouettes, physical and digital garments! 2022 has everything. Have consumer needs finally gotten to dictate the future of fashion?
This article was originally written by Demi Karanikolaou in Greek for Harper’s Bazaar Greece. You can find it here.
Fashion is one of the most fast paced industries with each season bringing new must-have trends and styles. As we are entering a new year, professionals and consumers alike are starting to observe how fashion will be shaped in 2022. However, this year seems to be already unique. With a combination of return to normal life and outstanding Covid restrictions as well as the recent societal and technological events, the future of our wardrobe is being shaped to be the most diverse, adaptive and sustainable we ever had.
After almost two years of on & off lockdowns, people have the need to socialize with every opportunity, thus extravagant silhouettes, that enhance sex appeal, will be popular throughout the year. Sequins and rhinestones are taking center stage, paired with the ultimate 2022 hero: mini skirts. But the party doesn't stop there as the continued renaissance of the 90s/2000s (best captured by Blumarine) is inspiring multiple other trends. Suggestive cutouts, fringe, bras as tops and low rise jeans are also proving to be a necessity. At the same time preppy style, (viewed by many as the complete opposite of extravagance) which became extremely popular through TikTok, is also trending and bringing us oversized button down shirts or classic cardigans paired with everything from mini skirts to slouchy trousers. It is indeed that extreme polarity that characterizes the new year: Micro blazers coexist with big jackets, while brightly coloured XXL bags can be seen next to the microscopic ones we have seen in the last years. Likewise, shoe enthusiasts might be drooling over new chunky platforms ( as seen in Versace and Valentino), but they are still attached to preppy loafers and sneakers. Liberated from gender norms and strictly set trends, style in 2022 seems to be as fluid as we want it to be.
But while party and official attire will be trending, sportswear will still reign supreme. Indeed, during lockdowns consumers got used to garments that allow them to feel free and comfortable while working from home. “Athleisure is here to stay as consumer behaviours reflect our desire to incorporate sports and fitness activities into our everyday routine. Exercise will always be one of the few outlets of release and thus a multi-billion market. However sportwear has turned a new corner, one inspired by expression, values and culture. We seek to embody that with our designs which are fueled by history and sporting legends” says Ashley McDonnell, co-founder of Irish sportswear brand Keohane Athletic Club. When it comes to sportswear, a sense of community and items with a unique sense of identity seem to be shaping the future. Looking at the garments themselves, even the simple pieces (such as tanktops and sports bras) are now designed with unique necklines (scoop, sweetheart, one-shouldered) and fresh fabrics (ribbed, leather), making them more daring than ever. Sneakers are evolving past their pure hype moment and keep getting reinterpreted in a more intricate manner. Moving forward, we will be seeing them made out of premium fabrics (patent, transparent, velvet), eco-friendly vintage inspired and even elements such as embroidery that cab be customized.
And as if physical fashion trends were not broad enough for 2022, an entirely new dimension is added to the mix. The rise of virtual fashion through gaming platforms and different Metaverses, is starting to require from our avatars to wear digital garments. Even though big fashion houses are already selling out of their NFT and phygital limited edition collections, the big boom in this industry is to be expected when tech giants like Apple and Microsoft will eventually release the next generation of AR and VR glasses. Following that, users will be able to experience an embodied internet (Web3.0) as well as a virtual overlay on the physical world, meaning that a new virtual wardrobe will immediately become a necessity.
In a period of tremendous change, it is only fitting that our wardrobe will be equally diverse. Vintage and new, scandalous party wear and sportswear, oversized and bodycon, physical and digital. This year has it all. I couldn’t help but wonder: have we officially reached the era where consumer needs dictate fashion, instead of the other way around?
