Milan Fashion Week, the first big menswear event of the year, came to a close yesterday. While the omicron variant presented itself as a concern — multiple designers, including Brunello Cucinelli (a favorite of a one Logan Roy), bowed out of Pitti Uomo, the iconic Florence trade show and precursor to Milan, in favor of the northern city’s runways later in the week — the whole affair, at least on the fashion front, can be considered a resounding return to form for a fashion world shaken by the global pandemic.
Menswear showed up to the streets of Italy in force, sporting all the newest and hottest trends, while designers dazzled (in more ways than one) on the runways. Prada capped their daddy-centric show with a Jeff Goldblum appearance. Dolce & Gabbana, as they are want to do, went big; really, really big (but more on that later). From A(lyx) to Z(egna), the cutting edge of men’s fashion put on a show to remember.
We’ve analyzed and considered the totality of MFW and what it means for the upcoming year in fashion. If the runway is any inclination, it seems like glam is in, trap work is required, and big pants are here to stay. Below, you’ll find five predictions from InsideHook for what menswear will look like in 2022. Some are easy to implement into your day-to-day, others will surely take a bit of work. But we can guarantee, one way or another, these trends will end up dominating your wardrobe.
Sayonara, Skinny Jeans
The death of the extra-tight trouser was imminent from the style’s inception — no one wants to wear uncomfortable pants — but it seems as though 20202 was the final push into big-bottoms territory. The runways of Florence and Milan saw scant few skinny jeans, but rather a variety of wide-cut trousers, ranging from relaxed to generous to downright massive. Zegna’s suiting, on the forefront of relaxed tailoring, embraced flowing looks on the runway, mirroring recent collections from brands like Alyx and Acne Studios that continue to lean into the relaxed silhouettes that have become commonplace.
Fashion’s Hourglass Challenge
In conjunction with the ‘70s and ‘80 revival we’re in the midst of (who are we kidding, everything’s in a revival right now), shoulder pads and flared pants are cropping back up, making their presence known at the likes of the Dolce & Gabbana display. After all, It’s hard to miss the exaggerated bell-ends of boxy Prada Jacket, and it’s downright impossible not to notice the newest Vetements collection. Goofy? Perhaps. But then again, take it up with David Byrne.
Gold, Glitter and Glitz
Ohhh, shiny! Designers leaned hard on metallic tones, hues, and textures this season, with all manner of metal-tinted fare popping up across Pitti Uomo and Milan. Brilliant trims, seen throughout the Blue Marble and A-Cold-Wall collections, mirrored some of the recent glitz and glam grooming (makeup for the fellows is here), and lest we forget the hotly contested pearlescent sequined football kit by J.W. Anderson. Reminiscent of the infamous Converse collaboration, perhaps?
Larger-Than-Life Looks
It’s not just pants and shoulders that are getting bigger. Puffer jackets are very in-season and in, period, and a floor-length, ultra-inflated look dominated the runway in more ways than one. All of the heavy hitters, spanning Dolce and Zegna to Vetements, dabbled in some form of oversized outerwear, and if that wasn’t enough, the trends seems to be leaning graphic heavy, too. Six more weeks of winter, we say!
Candy-Coated Everything
Willy Wonka, anyone? Bubblegum pink and Grape Crush Purple (not a real color, but it seems right) dominated the runway last week at shows like Dsquared, Moschino and MSGM. We don’t expect the high-octane hues to fully trickle down to the masses, but it’s not out of the question that subdued florals — lilac, rose, dusty yellow — will end up bespeckling menswear in 2022.
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