Milan is getting back to business after two consecutive seasons of party wares. Carefree clothes once admired for their happy-go-lucky shapes and mood-boosting palettes have taken a back seat to powerful
tailored garments that convey the responsibility and privilege that come with making important decisions. Still, Italian brands had fun with fashion for Fall 2022, sprinkling bow details and rosebud accents throughout, as well as spreading joy with sequin skirts, dramatic shoulders and fluffy coats.
There's a cleverness to the styling that gives Italian designers an edge over others simply trying to make headlines or become the subject of viral TikToks. In other words, if you're going to attempt to wear low-rise jeans come fall, then we recommend taking notes from brands that showed this season in Milan. The same goes for lingerie dressing and wearing the shirt equivalent to a pearl necklace.
As proceedings in Paris are already underway, we'll make this one short: Here's a cheat sheet to the top Fall 2022 trends that came out on top during Milan Fashion Week.
Belly-Button-Baring Bottoms
Yes, low-rise jeans in all their hipbone-and-belly-button-baring glory walked the runways in Milan. The good news for those who feel like they've aged out of wearing this Y2K trend is that some designers paired the low-slung bottoms with high-waisted leggings or tights for a look that could work in an office when worn with a tucked-in shirt.
Catsuits
Roberto Cavalli takes a literal approach to second-skin suits by covering one in leopard spots, while Blumarine offers body-hugging one-and-done solutions for nights out.
Chartreuse
Chartreuse, a yellowish-green hue, lends itself well to luxe textures like cashmere, mohair and silk, making it the perfect color for designers to use in their fall collections. The vibrant yet muted shade creates a cool contrast from traditional cold-weather neutrals at Del Core and Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini.
Cherry Red
A bright cherry red painted a memorable sartorial story in several Italian collections. From Moschino's crimson-tinted, velvet tufted strapless dress to the fiery fluffy and sequinned wares at GCDS; red is the color of fall.
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Give It a Sporty Twist
Gucci's headlining collaboration with Adidas sets the sporty tone for dressing next autumn. Annakiki, Diesel and Sunnei were a few to combine sartorial tradition and sportswear codes, with several showing high fashion versions of racer necklines and tracksuits.
Lingerie Dressing
When Italian designers weren't envisioning the wardrobe of a hardworking boss, they were thinking about the elegance and alluring romance of boudoir dressing. Lingerie-inspired sheer and lace, as well as corset tops, covered the Fall 2022 runways in Milan.
Non-Boring Bomber Jackets
Bomber jackets defy seasons and trends, making them our quiet wardrobe heroes. For fall, Prada pays homage to the closet staple by adding eye-catching floral embellishments, and Etro upgrades the trusty layer with a patchworked design.
Popcorn Textures
Y2K's popcorn shirts, aka those magic bubble tops, inspired grown-up knit versions in Milan. Though not microwavable, Diesel and Etro have freshly popped, movie-friendly picks.
Slinky String Theory
Italian labels had a few ideas about party dressing. Blumarine, GCDS and Versace suggest strings of pearls and glitzy Swarovski crystals arranged in drape-like curtain patterns.
Suited Up
Milan got back to business for Fall 2022 with collections that delivered crisp, boardroom-ready suiting. There were bold-shouldered blazers that wouldn't fit in a Zoom video screen, slightly oversized trousers that could work for in or out of office wear and tailored to perfection chocolate brown two-pieces.
The White Tank Top
What gives zero f**ks and can be purchased in a pack of three at Walmart? A humble white tank top. Prada slapped its logo on the ribbed camp go-to, and Bottega Veneta reminded us of its chic simplicity by letting it support statement accessories and wishlist-worthy pants.
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