Taking a radical departure from the dreary greys, sombre charcoals and moody blues, designers have injected a playful, joyous spectrum of hues in their 2022 outings.
Be it London, Milan, New York or Paris runways, it's hard to overlook a delicious tutti-frutti colour scheme seen at Fendi, Casablanca and Louis Vuitton. There were exaggerated intarsia T-shirts, hooded safari jackets, and ombre pants. While Dolce & Gabbana and Moschino showcased OTT patterns informed by Italian summers, Etro and Hermès sent out a litany of dégradé knits, evoking instant desirability. Model and fashion influencer Rahi Chadda, who was recently spotted in a pair of colour-bleed trousers from Alberta Ferretti, says, "The way designers have interpreted this trend this season brings to mind the dolce vita vibes," he says.
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Given the past two years, one could definitely relish this riot of colours. Tanisha Rahimtoola, founder of Curato, a multi-designer menswear store, observes that this pandemic has made designers worldwide realise that vibrant hues and bright colours are needed to add a bit of cheer in the otherwise navy, black and grey dominated menswear landscape. "The burst of colours has become this new trend that is being well accepted by men. In India, too, it's not uncommon to see men in multi-coloured jackets and shirts. The best way to successfully follow this trend is to mix a faded vintage blue denim with a rainbow splashed T-shirt or a jacket. Mixing the subdued with the loud is the only way to carry off this look fashionably," she suggests.
Designer Deepit Chug of label Line Outline notes that this trend has come back from 2020, a time when things were grim and uncertain. "It is a story of a utopian life, hopeful and energetic. A break from the crisis we are facing, in a world with freedom and expression. An escape into what we could be. This trend is here to stay. For those who are fashion shy can pair it with neutral bottoms or accessories using scarves, bags or sunglasses to bring that fun element in your daily #OOTD," he says.
Designer Karrtik Dhingra agrees. "Post covid, our attitude towards life has become more about living in the moment. Everyone is exploring and experimenting their choices and being more risk taking than ever before. Bold patterns, graphic prints and saturated colours are all byproducts of this YOLO essence, which we are all vibing at the moment. People are also revisiting their nostalgia and it's a part of this bigger macro trend of Y2K aesthetics. The best way to style this is by layering one statement piece with the rest of the neutral ensemble. Maybe a graphic jumper with grey pants or like a pop of cool T-shirt under a sharply tailored pewter suit," he suggests.
Accessories can be an easy way to embrace this trend. "All grey ensembles with a dash of this psychedelic pop in the form of a cross bag or even just hints in the form of socks can be cool," he adds.
Stylist Divyak D'Souza observes that since most of us have been working from home, people need to explore these colours, live a day in these outfits, take pictures and then decide if it's a trend for you or not. "Don't look at the runway pics or celebrity images. Mix and match with either versatile or neutral hues. Maybe opt for a pair of tie dye jeans or pair camel chinos with a multi coloured jumper," he says.
Stylist Akshay Tyagi also suggests grounding the statement rainbow hue with neutrals. "Maybe offset it with a pair of neutral boots. Classic denims, a white shirt teamed with a pair of multihued trainers is one chic example. The iridescent rainbow seen at Louis Vuitton may be a tricky look to pull off. Having said that, it works well in the streetwear zone, be it at the airport or appearances," he says.
Styling aside, the use of colours has always been associated with one’s emotions, and vibrant hues resurfacing as a key trend is directly linked to the fact that everyone wants to bring joy, happiness and vibrance back to their lives through their dressing.
Stylist Eshaa Amiin shares that the all-pervading tutti-frutti colour palette can be styled in numerous ways: "From two-piece colour blocked sets, ombré paired with white, monotone vibrant coloured ensemble with contrasting coloured accessories to pairing two to three different tones of the same colour."
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