SS22: 5 gender-neutral trends to keep an eye on

Though many brands still present their women’s and men’s wear collections separately at two different shows, a lot of trends tend to overlap and suit both wardrobes. For the Resort and Spring-Summer 2022 seasons, designers offer a large array of trends that do not fit in a gender category, highlighting a growing tendency to let go of labels. FashionUnited analyses five gender-neutral trends that’ll be leading the way next season.

The tank top

The tank top has been a wardrobe staple for both men and women for decades, but it’ll be particularly ubiquitous next summer. From ribbed knits to oversized cuts, the styles are endless and can easily be dressed up or down. Although, what’s been catching our eye is that most designs will work both for men and women alike. At Courrèges, we’ve seen a fishnet top that’ll work well worn on its own or layered, at Dhruva Kapoor, it was all about metallic textures and colourful details while at Dolce & Gabbana, the timeless white tank was all the rage. Vetements showcased a flower iteration and Atlein a silky orange one. For its Resort 2022 collection, Christian Wijnants presented a knitted black, white and green version. Their common point? They’ll all seamlessly blend in both women’s and men’s closets.

The oversized blazer

Blazers are a surefire way to create an outfit from scratch, and they’ll be particularly oversized for Spring-Summer 2022. Men’s and women’s designs have a similar look, the only difference being the size they’re cut in. Alberta Ferretti opted for a safari-inspired brown version whereas French label AMI Paris presented an entire collection based on double- or single-breasted blazers cut in large proportions. At Balenciaga, volumes are always exaggerated, so it comes as no surprise that jackets come in extravagant shapes. Comme Des Garçons Homme Plus showcased a white iteration finished with fringes, COOL ™* chose a bright red one and The Row showed an extra-long design.

The midi skirt

The midi skirt will be in full swing next summer - in women’s and men’s wardrobes alike. Although it has already made a timid appearance in menswear collections in the past, Spring-Summer 2022 will be the season of democratisation. We’ve seen a pleated pinstripe version at Thom Browne, paired with a matching blazer, as well as a paired-back printed beige one at Sean Suen. At Balmain, a total-black number was detailed with drawstrings. In the womenswear collections, Adeam presented a striped style and Blumarine showcased an army-green cargo-inspired one.

The bow blouse

A staple of the preppy wardrobe, the bow blouse has been a constant in the Resort and Spring-Summer 2022 collection, whether it’s in women’s or men’s collections. Saint Laurent paved the way: it showcased pussy bow blouses in many different styles and shades. Whether it’s a white timeless shirt with a gold metallic bow or a black striped one, Anthony Vaccarello has revolved its summer collection around this iconic statement. At Dunhill, a crisp button-down was topped off with an oversized cardigan detailed with a bow brooch. Carolina Herrera opted for a lightweight striped option, Coach presented a checked one while Paco Rabanne displayed a printed total-look finished with a lavallière collar.

The knitted vest

Originally a menswear staple, the knitted vest has been introduced in the womenswear collections over the last couple of years and is now a go-to in both. For next summer, Tory Burch presented a preppy navy blue sleeveless sweater worn over a printed shirt and Burberry showcased a tan turtleneck version paired with a matching cardigan. In the menswear collections, a grey cable-knit vest was spotted at Robyn Lynch, a V-neck blue one at Namacheko and Dior Homme showed a classic beige iteration detailed with a graphic print.

All images: Catwalk Pictures