The change in seasons is upon us, which means saying goodbye to sandals and swimwear and hello to cosy knits and lots of layers.
Whether you’re in the mood for a complete wardrobe refresh or simply want to tweak your look as we head into the colder months, the AW22 catwalk collections were full of fabulous inspiration.
From bright hues to brilliant boots, here are six essential trends to guide your autumn/winter fashion choices…
1. Pink power
The undisputed colour of AW22, hot pink was top of the agenda at Valentino, where designer Pierpaolo Piccioli developed a new hue exclusively with Pantone, called Valentino Pink PP.
The uber-bright shade has since been worn by stylish stars including model Nicola Peltz, actor Gillian Anderson and popstar Dua Lipa.
Fuchsia also featured heavily at Halpern, Richard Quinn and Huishan Zhang – this was all before the Barbiecore trend exploded, when Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling were spotted shooting scenes for the forthcoming Barbie movie.
2. Nineties minimalism
A counterpoint to the baggy jeans and bucket hats Gen Z is loving, Nineties minimalism is a more grown-up way to delve into the decade.
Think low-slung trousers (but without the bare midriff) a la Bottega Veneta and The Row, the slinky silk maxi dresses at Eftychia, and the loose tailoring at Nensi Dojaka.
And you can’t go wrong with a humble white vest, as seen as Prada, Acne and Sacai, teamed with wide-leg blue jeans or dressed up with a maxi skirt.
3. Biker chic
The hell for leather trend that started in spring comes vrooming back onto the catwalks for autumn.
This time around, biker jackets were deconstructed and falling off models’ shoulders at Simone Rocha and Marni, while leather skirts were slung low at Coperni, and multicoloured moto trousers were elevated to eveningwear at Balmain with a crisp white shirt.
4. Dopamine dressing
Pink isn’t the only hot hue to choose from this season. Dopamine dressing – the mood-boosting trend that emerged at the height of the pandemic – is still going strong as we head into the colder months.
Citrus brights were big news at Gabriella Hearst and Halpern, Stella McCartney plumped for vivid violet, while Supriya Lele displayed a masterclass in colour blocking.
5. Glitter bug
Proving sequins aren’t just for Christmas, Dries Van Noten and Phillip Lim created incredible sparkly puffer coats, while Eckhaus Latta teamed shimmery skirts with chunky knits.
At London Fashion Week, Ricardo Tisci’s Burberry went all-out with diamante encrusted dresses and knitwear, and the 16 Arlington collection was awash with bronze and beige sequinned separates.
6. Bold boots
Build your outfits from the ground up this season, with boots demanding to be noticed.
From chunky bikers at Miu Miu to platforms at Altuzarra and extravagant over-the-knees at David Koma, a pair of bold boots is a wise investment this season.
