Accessories are often the least conspicuous elements in a runway presentation, but they can also offer the clearest distillation of a designer’s vision. Across the fall 2022 shows, the trends in footwear and jewelry reflected a spirit that was surreal, playful and subversive.
Lacquered leather creations dominated and included kitten-heeled pumps in a sleek calfskin at Chanel and sculptural, shiny black clutches from Loewe. The standouts, however, were the undeniably kinky patent leather boots: There were knee-high designs with stiletto heels from Anthony Vaccarello at Saint Laurent and similarly provocative siren red lace-ups from Dries Van Noten. For those who prefer a slightly less showy shoe that still has a high-gloss sheen, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, the pair behind the New York-based brand Proenza Schouler, created a fitted glove boot with a block heel in fire engine red.
Other designers channeled gothic, post-punk style in their footwear. Marc Jacobs, who showed his fall collection at the main branch of the New York Public Library, styled his models with dramatic, towering platforms adorned with multiple straps, while Yoon Ahn of Ambush sent out racy platforms with buckles up to the knee as part of her Milan runway debut. You can always count on Vivienne Westwood, one of the pioneers of punk fashion, to present a shoe with an edge, and this season was no different: The designer’s label showed one of her signature silhouettes — a high-heeled platform shoe that laces up to the ankle — in croc-stamped leather.
Hefty, stacked bangles could also be heard click-clacking down the runways — most notably at Saint Laurent, where elegant column dresses were styled with chunky cuffs made of hammered brass and wood. LaQuan Smith, known for his sexy silhouettes, set off his skin-baring ready-to-wear with flashy sets of gold and silver bracelets. And at Alaïa, where Pieter Mulier recently took over as creative director, models’ wrists were accessorized with jewelry in a mix of textures and materials, including laser-cut leather, perforated brass and plexiglass.
Rubber boots were one of fall’s more practical trends. Since 2020, when Bottega Veneta premiered its rounded Puddle boots, waterproof footwear has seen a major comeback. At Chanel’s fall 2022 show, for example, its creative director Virginie Viard presented a thigh-high rain boot in an earthy green tone, worn with a tailored tweed suit, as well as mid-calf versions in black and beige. Those who like the style but want a more affordable option might look to two iconic British brands: Barbour, known for its classic country wear, and Hunter, which offers both the traditional wellies favored by the British royal family and also fashion-forward, watertight versions of another divisive style of recent seasons, the clog.
Photo assistant: Karl Leitz. Production assistant: Ryan Riley
