Dries Van Noten, JW Anderson, RHUDE, and More: Paris Menswear, SS22, and Beyond

The city of Antwerp was the muse for Dries Van Noten’s Spring/Summer 2022 collection, which paid homage to the fun and carefree attitude of life in the city. Preparing to return to times of decadence and revelry, the house opted for relaxed silhouettes that suggested confidence in volume—including archetypal menswear pieces like parkas and trench coats, simple knit tees, and soft, supple suiting. Meanwhile, variations in color and pattern—including camouflages, neutrals, graphic stripes, and vibrant tones—gave us the feeling that the collection was suitable for wearers both bold and reserved. Collection highlights included a take on a cargo pant combined with an apron, a white and cream ensemble that combined luxury and leisure with its layered elements and slide sandals, and a printed trench styled with long camo shorts and platform deck shoes.

Introducing its Resort 2022 collections for men and women this week, JW Anderson continued with the concept of imagining a physical presentation, debuting the 33 looks in a package of printed photographs complete with cardboard frames. The collection celebrates self-expression and the act of getting dressed through hedonistic designs in saturated colors, captured once again by Juergen Teller. Slightly ambiguous yet masculine looks have been styled in a nature that blurs the boundaries between things meant to be worn for sports, clubbing, and lounging at home—like fuzzy jumpers with track shorts and slides, or matching knit sets printed with gigantic strawberries. Standout looks included a structured tunic in red that looked like a large pillow belted at the waist and worn over a striped t-shirt, a matching lavender set with a “JW” graffiti logo across the front, and a windbreaker and matching shorts worn with a colorful striped tee and white lace-up boots.

While RHUDE presented within the Paris menswear calendar, the house opted to debut its new collection at The Beverly House, a Mediterranean villa in Los Angeles. Amid terra cotta walls and a walkway of flowering bushes, looks inspired by the destination of Monaco created a commentary on ideas of escape following more than a year of global turmoil. Looks presented an informal formality fueled by the need to be comfortable, paired with a longing for extravagance—feelings to which many of us can relate, posing questions about what our post-pandemic reality might be. Garments were neither loose nor fitted and centered silhouettes based on reimagined suiting, including styles like robe-reminiscent trenches worn in place of overcoats, tailored shorts, and tuxedo jackets dressed down. We saw these included in looks like a sweatshirt and sleeveless biker jacket worn with pinstripe shorts, trousers and a low-neck tee paired with a striped robe, and a classic oxford and khaki ensemble layered with an open Hawaiian shirt and finished with white sneakers.

Sean Suen’s Spring/Summer 2022 collection “Ephemeral” captures memories and emotions eternally through its new designs, thinking of the “wonderful fleeting moments in our lives.” The designer called on all the senses to tell this story, utilizing fabrications like knits, silk, and wool combined and interwoven with leather come to suggest the multifaceted nature of an intimate moment; or colors like purple, green, and blue to evoke the sensation of a lingering summer breeze. Centering soft, supple garments updating familiar silhouettes, designs were comfortable but dignified, including pieces like a denim button-up with a gathered, hugging effect at the chest,  a white blouse with full sleeves worn under a tank paired with a kilt-like skir, and a satiny tee and shirt styled with a leather jacket and riding boots.

Reese Cooper’s Spring/Summer 2022 presentation took place outdoors, within the San Gabriel mountains in Azusa, California. Titled “Fresh Air,” the collection debuted to the music of KAYTRANADA, down a bridge-turned-runway, highlighting an ongoing collaboration with the USDA Forest Service. We saw garments focused on outerwear and time spent outdoors for both men and women, like bombers, work jackets, the new Wilson boot (which comes in bold hues like red, blue, and green), and a collaboration with footwear house Merrell 1 TRL, which encompasses several styles, like a Hydro Runner in bespoke prints. The collection offered utilitarian pieces that featured the function of outdoor garb, combined with the style and mindset of a metropolitan dweller—seen across looks like cargo pants with a graphic knit and a patchwork jacket, a green-on-green polo and trousers look with sneakers and a tote bag, and a windbreaker printed with a topographic map worn with joggers and a statement color shirt. The collection also saw a partnership with the Levi’s sustainability team, which included the creation of one-of-one denim jeans and jackets, made from excess stock.