Spring fashion: trends on and off the catwalks

Flowers for spring? Innovative.

Meryl Streep utters this famous quote as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada alluding to the clichés that spring fashion can often become.

However, the spring 2022 fashion trends seem full of surprises deviating from the trends of recent years according to many fashion experts. This can be seen both on campus and on the slopes.

The latest fashion weeks in New York, London, Paris and Milan have signified a new look at fashion after the pandemic era.

The past two years have been full of fashion that has commented on the pandemic itself famously on the Valentino Haute Couture Spring 2021 collection. Audiences may remember a look from this collection that Zendaya wore at the Critics Choice Awards 2021 .

However, this year many collections returned to their own unique, non-pandemic related themes. Some traditional houses, like Ralph Lauren, have even gone so far as not to show at all for the past two years, but have returned to show a new collection in recent weeks.

Fashion critic Luke Meagher also noted in a critical video from New York Fashion Week that newcomers such as Elena Valez and Peter Do added some much-needed vitality to the scene.

I always think it’s interesting to see what smaller brands are doing, JD Fritzeen said of his experience at New York Fashion Week. They’re usually out of school, or they have a really unique perspective that maybe isn’t seen as much because it’s harder for a big brand to get that because they can’t pivot as easily .

Overall, the season is shaping up to be more innovative than fashion has been in years and that is having an effect on the trends of the season.

While each show in the most recent season is unique, a few consistent themes were evident across the board. Bold tailoring, colors and patterns were common, as well as 1960s and 1970s silhouettes.

These trends led freshman judge Bower to describe his current style in a unique way.

I dress like a Florida dad, he says.

There is a very specific and observable way that these trends will make their way into the market.

When we talk about catwalks, haute couture, or haute couture, they’re all such high art forms of style and fashion, Fritzeen said. A lot of track pieces are created to be that incredibly ambitious piece for the track. Many of them are never meant to be worn on the streets or are meant to be worn on carpets by celebrities. You see something on a track and it will slowly sink in large masses.

Fritzeen referenced the famous scene from The Devil Wears Prada on the cerulean dresses which ultimately resulted in the film’s protagonist wearing a cerulean sweater.

It’s a very specific part of this movie, Fritzeen said. The catwalks are so indicative of what was going to be seen in store for mass consumers.

A 2015 Washington Post article by Sarah Halzack describes this process. Halzack explains that brands look to the catwalks to set standards and tailor clothing to their customers’ needs.

Halzack also explains that while smaller brands have to consider things like the cost and longevity of replicating certain looks, big brands like H&M and Zara can replicate trends a few weeks after the shows.

Other trend influences may come from Fashion Week more indirectly.

Being in person for fashion week, you see how important street style is, Fritzeen said. There are photographers everywhere outside the shows, inside the shows, in the corners. It’s like the viewers track before the track.

Other trends are influenced by celebrities.

I always admire famous singers and the way they dress on stage,” sophomore Lal Sang said. My costume was therefore inspired by Harry Styles because his outfits are very colorful and represent what he feels.

A quick scan of fast fashion aggregates like the ASOS and Zaras spring collections already includes plenty of trends seen on the runway. Most of the designs feature swirling patterns reminiscent of the House of Sunny patterns that were popular in summer 2021. Another widespread pattern appears to be inspired by vintage Hermès scarves.

The patterns themselves were featured in colors like tangerine, deep aqua, and kelly green. Items like T-shirt dresses and blazers were also made in fabrics like tweed or with ruffled sleeves as a twist on a classic.

Some of these same trends can be seen in outfits modeled by students and teachers. Outfits proliferate with bold colors and patterns like the Sarah Wordhouses Junior Cow Print Skirt.

I try not to follow micro-trends because they won’t be around in a few months, so I try to choose clothes that I know will be in style for a few years, Wordhouse said. You know, early 2000s is really on trend right now, so if you’re going for an early 2000s skirt, make sure it’s one that lasts more than a few weeks.

Sophomore M. Rain Taylor described how she combines some of the current trends.

I really like (fashion trends that are) androgens. You can wear it on anyone, anyone can take inspiration from it, anything that makes me feel comfortable and the skater vibe, Taylor said.

Taylor’s faculty also showed off some of the season’s precedents. Assistant Professor of American Politics Jakob Miller sported a distinctly professorial look in a tweed blazer that showed off the season’s tailoring and fabric.

The looks showcase a wide range of styles, showcasing individuals expressing their personal tastes while capturing the ebbs and flows of fashion.

While some trend predictors might tell you exactly how to dress, others disagree.

I just don’t think there are any rules, said Loralee Songer, assistant music teacher. If you feel good in it, you should get it, and you should probably get it in multiple colors.

To see the full spring styles of the students and faculty mentioned in this piece, see pages 4 and 5.

---