Menswear Spring 2022: The Trends of the Season

Still a mishmash of live shows and digital presentations but no less expressive, the men's spring collections for 2022 were shown in the fashion capitals of Europe. New York may have been missing, but this only adds to the anticipation of the shows ahead this September.

Colour weaved its way through the collections like a golden thread. It was colour in the form of the bright lights of rave culture, the things we experience when we travel as well as the diversity of different cultures. This celebration of colour in its various interpretations served as a way to question what menswear really means today and where its boundaries lie. Or whether there should be boundaries at all. 

The following five trends reflect all these themes. Sometimes brighter, sometimes more muted - it's a colourful mix of cuts, nuances, and materials that redefine what menswear is and should be in our world today. 

Not seeing the neon trend is a matter of sheer impossibility. A prime example can be found at Virgil Abloh's Louis Vuitton. A utilitarian leather jacket with large flap pockets and belt with monogram embossing and neon colour gradient is worn with cobalt blue trousers and a fluffy hat. At JW Anderson and Dries Van Noten, neon meets practicality and comfort. For the former, a sporty ensemble comprised of running shorts and a knitted jumper gets its neon green accents in the form of stripes and the famous JW Anderson chain leather loafers. For the latter, it's a rain jacket whose neon pattern is a collage of smartphone photos taken by the Dries Van Noten team and etchings by Brueghel and Rubens. A creative homage to Amsterdams present and past.

Once considered a menswear faux pas, now a trend. Oversized trousers have found their way into several Spring 2022 collections. Dior Men's collaboration with musician Travis Scott is no exception, especially since Scotts has been sporting the extra length for a while as an integral part of his personal style. With the help of Kim Jones' expertise, pairs were created that are reminiscent of training trousers in terms of material and cut but do not lack in terms of tailoring. The pink version adorned with metal buttons along the longitudinal seam is worn with a colour-coordinated blazer and sneakers. At Dunhill, the extra-long trousers come in black leather and a split hem. Combined with a smooth-knit cardigan, crossbody bag, and baseball cap, it is what you see the It-boys wear in the streets of the big cities. Fancy extra long? Rick Owens got you covered. The calico jeans with zippers all the way down the leg could even cover shoes with the thickest sole.

Sweater vests are back, but simple and monochrome is no longer enough. Etro designer Keon Etro presented one in the paisley print Etro is famous for. In shades of green and blue mixed with gold and pink, the collar, waistband and armholes of the sleeveless piece are reinforced with denser plain knit, creating a contrast to the fine pattern and lending a certain casualness. Riccardo Tisci fuses his personal signature, developed during his tenure at Givenchy, with Burberry's sartorial codes. The vest of a different kind is tight and black with a chest plate-like patch in skeleton print at the front. It is layered over a red and white T-shirt. The Dior Men version is hand-sewn and features a pattern designed by Travis Scott. Here again, the trousers are extra long, and the accessories are a skillful mix of Dior and the collaborating artist. A saddle belt bag and beaded necklace with a cactus pendant, a reference to Scott's alias Cactus Jack.

One menswear trend that is slowly but surely creepin up on us is skirts. The garment traditionally associated with womenswear has only featured within men’s wardrobes in the form of the kilt . But what is fashion if not an expression of freedom and progress? Virgil Abloh drew inspiration from the silhouettes of chess pieces as well as the clothing of the Japanese martial art Kendo to incorporate the Wu-Tang Clan and the history of hip-hop. The result is a black crinoline combined with a short-sleeved jersey-style knit jumper over a tight longsleeve and sneakers, a collaboration with Nike. At Loewe, the skirt makes a solo appearance. Black and straight cut, the neon pink boots are the only accessory and let the simple creation speak for itself. If you're not quite convinced yet, Prada has skorts. A hybrid of skirts and shorts, they are the ultimate key piece of the collection. In a brown, lilac and orange pattern styled with derbys, a clean-cut leather jacket and bucket hat, it is quintessentially Prada with a modern twist.

Denim is probably one of the most universally popular and timeless materials. No matter where you come from or where you go, you can rarely go wrong with it. Thanks to the variety of cuts, washes, and finishes, the material has established itself in many areas of life, not just in casual ones anymore. The designer duo Benjamin Huseby and Serhat Isik from GmbH, a young label from Berlin, are the most experimental. The double denim look is destroyed, but structured, modern, and deliberately daring thanks to the elegant off-the-shoulder diagonal cut of the trench coat. The Japanese label Maison Mihora Yasuhiro offers oversized in a cool vintage wash. Jeans and jackets work just as well together as they do individually. The 80s are back at Diesel. Double denim in acid wash with red stitching as an eye-catching detail worn with a white T-shirt, leather belt, and black boots.