Colors, prints and style!
From supporting emerging talent like Raquel Dinz and Louisa Ballou to re-discovering staple designers like Jason Wu and Peter Do, step into the new season with MATCHESFASHION’s definitive list of SS22 Collections to watch out for.
Jason Wu
Thrust onto the global stage after dressing Michelle Obama in breath-taking gowns at two presidential inaugurations, CFDA-award winning designer, Jason Wu is a longstanding editorial favourite, renowned for his elegant approach and lightness of touch. Expect understatedly luxurious pieces cut from fine French and Italian fabrics, finished with artful flourishes and painterly prints.
Peter Do
LVMH prize winner Peter Do studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology and honed his skills working at Celine before founding his namesake label as a collective. Born in a rural area just outside Hồ Chí Minh City, the designer’s influences are wide-ranging, spanning everything from the traditional garments worn by his parents to the photography of Irving Penn. Look out for considered riffs on the áo dài – a type of Vietnamese tunic – or sharply cut jackets and trousers.
Raquel Dinz
A graduate of Milan’s Institutio Maragnoi, model-turned-designer Raquel Diniz launched her eponymous label after friends and colleagues in fashion PR continued to enquire after her flattering self-made designs. Expect elegant gowns and effortlessly bohemian dresses in plush velvet and lustrous silks sourced from prestigious fabrics specialists in Como, Italy. Traditional feminine silhouettes – think long, graceful sleeves and fluid sweeping skirts – are enlivened by expressive colours and lively patterns inspired by Diniz’s native Brazil to create party-ready pieces that celebrate the joy of dressing up.
Louisa Ballou
South Carolina native and Central Saint Martins graduate Louisa Ballou cites her coastal upbringing and mother’s gardening as inspiration for launching her eponymous swimwear label. Print is a key focus for the designer, with each pattern painted by herself after rigorous research into the colorful works of eclectic artists such as Pierre Soulages and Chris Ofili. The empowering confidence that’s central to the label is translated through statement silhouettes crafted from Italian mesh and daring cutouts joined by metal rings.