The Past Meets the Future in Azzaro Couture’s Spring Summer 2022 Collection
In a collection inspired by looks from the past, Azzaro Couture still manages to push the envelope in terms of haute couture fashion.
Olivier Theyskens has yet-again created a new reality for Azzaro Couture. While last year’s reality was dreamlike, this year’s takes aim at gender roles in fashion and imagines a more fluid world. The Spring Summer 2022 show for Paris Couture Week, directed by Benjamin Seroussi, speaks to both men and women alike.
To no one’s surprise, iridescent satin and carefully placed sequin are the details of the season for Azzaro, who’ve built a reputation under Theyskens of using shimmering, shiny materials throughout each collection. This year’s collection built upon last year’s theme of glamour and use of shimmer to create some fully metallic looks.
Androgyny is another key aspect of the collection, which heavily focused on suits. The suits of the show, styled by fashion director Gro Curtis, range from light blue and caramel sheen, to embroidered mother of pearl sequin, to a darker blue velvet look. Despite their differences in appearance, all maintain the brand’s traditional oversized tailoring for a relaxed fit. Under the suits, freely unbuttoned satin shirts add to the appearance of fluidity, while vinyl turtlenecks add a layer of sophistication.
But perhaps the stars of the show were the brand’s signature long dresses, synonymous with founder Loris Azzaro himself. Each dress pays homage to the past by sticking with Azzaro’s traditional deep necklines, voluminous sleeves, and flowy draping. Created with open backs and cuffs designed to highlight the décolleté, the dresses add an element of sensuality to the collection.
Though much of the collection honors and builds upon Azzaro’s past (even the dresses are reminiscent of some of their iconic styles from the early 2000s), Theyskens has positioned the house the be a leader in the future of haute couture. As Azzaro celebrates fluidity and streamlines their designs, it seems as though other brands will have to follow suit in order to exist in this new reality of fashion, where masculinity and femininity meet in collections made for everyone.
Watch the full show here.