Paris Fashion Week wrapped up a month-long stint of fashion weeks across the globe and a welcomed return to physical fashion shows

As fashion’s elite descended Paris was also awash with the joie de vivre of style, as the city laid bare what trends are in store for spring/summer 2022.

Low-rise pants and skirts forged their dominance on the runway, as did oversized tailoring, colourful digital prints, milkshake hues and party-ready boots. In the name of fun, glittery sequins, crystals and fringing were also in the mix, getting the world ready for a return to normal life, and a future etched in the beauty of glamour and easy nostalgia. Here are the biggest spring/summer 2022 trends from Paris Fashion Week.

Low-rise lover

It’s bye-bye high-rise and hello there low-rise bottoms next summer. 

Miu Miu sent out tailored trousers, skirts and barely-there minis worthy of the Y2K era, that sat far below exposed underwear bands and flat midriffs, reminiscent of early Calvin Klein. At Isabel Marrant, relaxed denim sat low on the waist, alongside low-slung tailored track pants and floral pants. While Balmain brandished the low-rise look too, with low-riding, hugging pants with cut-outs on the waistband.

Dreamy digi-prints

Colourful digital prints created dream-like states on the Paris runway. Chanel finished its springtime collection with a series of coloured butterfly-winged prints landing on floaty, sheer halterneck gowns, blousons and skirts, and even capes tied around the neck. Dries Van Noten erupted with explosions of colour across digi-print mac coats, bat-wing dresses, and skirts, while figure-hugging dresses in rainbow tie-dye digital prints came down the runway at Loewe.

Mega man-jackets

Men’s suit jackets of the mega kind were a real-talk reminder of the world’s return to work (and formal social functions) in 2022. Louis Vuitton sent on the runway skirts under dinner party double-breasted jackets with big peak lapels and bold buttons, in an oversized fit with power shoulders that felt strong and 80s. Lanvin’s corporate woman was sexier with long-cut jewel-tone blazers and matching bag and heels. While the mannish jacket was cut soft and pastel at Stella McCartney, for a work-to-weekend take on the must-have oversized blazer.

Also see: No Time to Die’s Lashana Lynch brings new light to James Bond franchise

Milkshake pastels

Colour was a major trend this season in Paris. Milkshake pastels, specifically. Peach ruffle dresses in chiffon floated down the runway at Giambattista Valli, while Rokh’s rendition of the deconstructed dress came in a strawberry milk pink. Sonia Rykiel’s knitted ribbed dresses and loungewear co-ords came dipped in lilac, alongside knits in lemon, apricot and cream-colour stripes.

All that glitters

Paris proved all that glitters is in fact, gold. Case in point, Valentino’s sequined gold dress with high-neck and long sleeves, thigh-splitting hem and spliced cut-out in the chest that lit out the Italian brand’s runway like a blazing sun. Schiaparelli dove straight into the treasure chest for its bedazzling blazer, packed with gold embellishments and metallic trinkets over a glittery leotard. In addition, Givenchy’s mermaid maxi walked dripping in glittery rainbow sequined scales.

Bold, bright boots

Boots were made for more than walking at Paris Fashion Week. Designers hailed in a return to parties and festivals that beckoned bold and bright footwear to stomp and dance in. There were neon knee-high boots at Givenchy and metallic space invader boots that cut mid-thigh at Courreges. Meanwhile, fashion newcomer Germanier glittered up the French fashion week schedule with bejewelled thigh boots in dreamy pastel and neon Swarovski crystals. A welcomed gesture after boots, and dancing, took the year off. 

Also see: Vibrant colours make a splash on the Spring 2022 runways in Milan