5 trends from Men's Fashion Week Fall 2022 from houndstooth to neckerchiefs

There was a degree of uncertainty hanging over the men's fashion weeks, mainly due to the surge in Omicron cases leading up to the first shows. In Italy, a pair of legendary designers withdrew from their engagements, with Brunello Cucinelli pulling out of Pitti Uomo 101 in Florence, and Giorgio Armani calling off his shows in Milan. In both Paris and Milan, a number of brands opted for digital shows; only 17 brands showed in person in Paris (a normal season would usually have around 40).

Still, despite the uncertainty, the shows went on without too much difficulty.

Brands showed a range of Fall 2022 collections that were decidedly more attainable than usual, filled with looks and pieces that one could absolutely wear now — not just ones that inevitably trickle down to our wardrobes in diluted forms. At Prada, there was overt confirmation of this fact, with the show notes stating that the collection was a treatise of sorts on the hierarchy of workwear, the clothes people wear every day. The condensed circuit served to underscore this overarching theme and the trends that underpinned it.

Feeling a little grey

If one needed an example of how brands opted for attainable rather than aspirational, one need look only so far as the dominant colour: grey.

When it comes to colours, grey is about as universal as they come. It lacks the sombre edge of black, the irreverence of winter whites and the boldness of bright neons — and bereft of sheen, it doesn't cross the threshold to silver. It's a safe colour that's more often flattering than not. It's also a colour most people already have in their wardrobe, from suits and coats to jeans and T-shirts.

At Prada in Milan, there were grey suits, turtlenecks, coats and even leather jumpsuits, as well as grey accessories — leather gloves and briefcases cum weekenders — that underscored the colour's importance to the collection. Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons's choice of grey was inspired by what one would see in any corporate office. Playful as always, Etro's show opened with a pair of grey looks featuring sweaters with large graphic designs. 

Showing in Tokyo, Comme des Garçons Homme Plus swapped out grounding black on occasion for both charcoal and lighter shades of grey, most noticeably on an exaggerated ruched suit and herringbone wool coats. 

In Paris, Rick Owens's collection featured pops of grey that stood in contrast to the black that even casual observers are now accustomed to from the designer. Bags, shirts, outerwear and accessories were all rendered in the season's standout shade. One notable look had a model in an ombré and panelled jacket made to look like faded denim, a grey plaid garment draped around the waist to create an asymmetrical skirt over black shorts, and a grey carryall to boot. 

Time to double up

From mid-layers to bulky parkas, double-breasted coats and jackets were everywhere. Perhaps it's a sign that a formal side of life is coming back. Yet there's a versatility to double-breasted pieces that allows them to be both polished and laid-back: when a suit or leather jacket is unfastened, the panelling falls forward, creating an air of nonchalance and effortless style; done up, you have a tight, clean silhouette that oozes confidence.

London-based Canadian designer Erdem Moralioglu presented his collection through a lookbook that included a pair of peak-lapel double-breasted coats rendered in vivid orange and light yellow in an otherwise mostly dark collection. Showing in Milan but also London-based, designer Jonathan Anderson turned elephants into outerwear, tunics and accessories — in a figurative sense. Anderson presented elephant-shaped bags, coats printed with elephant motifs, and double-breasted wool coats with a curved hem reminiscent of an elephant's ear.

At Hed Mayner in Paris, the current king of oversized tailoring showed a collection that was heavy on double-breasted jackets — all oversized, of course — from suiting to outerwear. On the other end of the spectrum in Paris, was Jun Takahashi's Undercover, which showed a pair of suits so subtly double-breasted (with hidden buttons) one could easily mistake them for single-breasted jackets. 

Florals … for winter

On the street outside the shows, it seemed winter whites were the season's must-have. And following suit, Fall 2022 collections will also borrow an aspect normally reserved for warmer-weather Spring collections: florals.

Nowhere was this more obvious than in Paris. At Louis Vuitton, the house presented the last collection designed by Virgil Abloh before he died. Both the show and the collection were moving and gestured to the mortality Abloh was dealing with as he worked on the collection: a clock stopped at eight (this was his eighth collection); a series of closing looks with an architectural quality reminiscent of angels with ever-growing wings; models looking skyward during the finale. Leather accessories imagined as floral bouquets and a range of pieces with floral designs, ranging from backpacks to jackets and denim to footwear, offered a touch of romanticism. 

That same romanticism was also present at Dior, where Kim Jones presented a number of delicate floral pieces — some embroidered, some that appeared etched on jackets, other faux flowers painstakingly affixed to crew-neck sweatshirts.

For his debut show at Kenzo, Japanese streetwear legend Nigo presented a collection that drew on the codes of workwear and '50s and '60s fashions, with an abundance of floral patterns. The detail ranged from an embroidered flower on a denim chore coat stylized to look as if it were stuffed in the waist pocket, to hand-painted designs and rich all-over prints resembling jacquard.

At Acne Studios, the florals were more hippie-inspired, with floral fabric woven into a patchwork-heavy collection. The pièce de résistance: a crushed-velvet floral ensemble with floral buttons. Bluemarble — one of the buzziest names on the Paris calendar outside of the traditional heavy hitters — showed a range of psychedelic florals that called to mind supersized, deconstructed paisley that appeared on shirts, pants and bags. 

Herald the houndstooth

For those looking for a traditional autumnal pattern, fret not, there were more than florals on offer. 

In Milan at Fendi, Silvia Venturini Fendi used houndstooth to break up a rich colour palette, using the pattern on pants, bucket hats, wool coats and even buttons. Most interesting, though, was her juxtaposition of houndstooth and shepherd's check, which from afar appear almost identical.

If there's a menswear designer who knows prints, it's Paul Smith, and the irreverent British designer's Fall 2022 collection featured a number of houndstooth pieces, rendered in darker shades of green, brown, burgundy and bluish grey. The pattern featured across a range of pieces, from suits to overcoats to a bulkier utility coat. 

B+ Umit Benan usually warrants extra attention, and this collection was no different, with an abundance of elegant, luxurious pieces. The designer's take on houndstooth for Fall 2022 is a perfect example, a mix of cream, brown and turquoise applied to a casual sportcoat.

Alexandre Mattiussi's Ami show was quite the production, with an all-star cast of models including Alton Mason, Edie Campbell, Isabelle Adjani, Ben Attal, Emily Ratajkowski, Laetitia Casta and Mariacarla Boscono. It was a testament to the commercial success that Mattiussi has had with Ami. A trio of coats stood out: a strong-shouldered sportcoat, a thick chore coat with oversized pockets, and a long single-breasted wool coat — all rendered in black-and-white houndstooth. 

Neckerchiefs

A number of designers seemed enamoured with the return of the neckerchief for Fall 2022 (inspired perhaps by masks worn around necks?).

At Y/Project, it was hard to tell whether designer Glenn Martens's accoutrements were proper neckerchiefs or snoods, with flowing, curling hems that were quite stiff. Then there were the oversized leather neckerchiefs that one might otherwise place squarely in the category of "scarf" were it not for Martens's uncanny ability to reimagine even the most simple pieces. Whatever they were, the neck accessories at Y/Project were impossible to miss.

At Hermès, the uber-luxury brand's iconic silk scarves were draped elegantly around models' necks and shoulders. Dries Van Noten showed neckerchiefs that were exaggerated in length but still beautiful in appearance. Husband-and-wife duo Luke and Lucie Meier presented intricate neck drapings at Jil Sander that were esthetic, rather than utilitarian, and crafted from leather and oversized eyelet fabric.

Yohji Yamamoto, a true master of his craft, presented a collection that was dark, moody and poetic as ever, with plenty of neckerchiefs tied whimsically and artfully around models' necks. Still, if neckerchiefs are indeed coming back, we'd appreciate a lesson in how to wear them from Mr. Yamamoto …

Marc Richardson is a Montreal-based writer and photographer. His work focuses on fashion, culture and the intersection between the two. He's spent the better part of the last decade observing and cataloguing menswear from New York and London to Florence and Paris. You can follow him on Twitter @quicklongread and on Instagram @shooting.people.