Fall 2022 Trend Report

Whimsical and elegant, these three fall trends look to the stars, the archives, and the meadows for designs romantic and timeless.

As Vogue’s Tiziana Cardini wrote, Zuhair Murad’s fall couture collection retreats to the cosmos for sartorial direction, resulting in a runway of navy and gold, twinkling with the promise of divine planets and stars. The sumptuous looks feature embroidered tarot cards, celestial appliques, and smiling suns. One moon-white gown even featured a palm mid-reading, doodled along the hem.

Playful as always, Dua Lipa rocked a mercurial pink and sequined Valentino two-piece that toed the line between otherworldly and of-the-moment. For a bit subtler interpretation of the trend, Sienna Miller wore a Self-Portrait knit-dress in the perfect median hue of the heavens, clearly forecasting serenity, magic, and love.

For your ballroom dress rentals, lean into rich, mystical shades of plum and sapphire. Starry accents or cosmic bedazzles are nothing but good omens—so have fun with it and twirl the night away!

This trend could be called many other names: hazelnut latte, dusted meringue, treacle taupe. But those names, while fun, don’t evoke the sophisticated snappiness of the timeless nude. This season, the palette of neutrals, so long beloved by fashionistas across the world and throughout history, receives a gentle upgrade in the form of a subtle shimmer and warm undertone, resulting in an extremely lovable nutty, glowy hue.

For a classic example of this trend, see Jennifer Lawrence’s recent big apple promenade in a wondrously simple chestnut Matteau dress. And taking a more alternative approach, Cynthia Erivo stunned in a Rick Owens number featuring a raven skirt enlivened by a silky nude blouse that stole the show. The actress further modernizing the trend with her artful rainbow-colored nails.

On the dance floor, try out waltz dresses in your favorite neutral shade from caramel to café au lait. And as far as accessories and beauty goes, opt for a monochromatic look with a shimmery nude eye shadow, or take a page out of Erivo’s book and punch up your neutral dance dress with an unexpected pop of color.

The sense of hope, and promise, and adventure, and possibility, so synonymous of heartlands and wide open spaces, could be felt across the entire expanse of Dior’s latest couture collection. Indeed, Dior’s famed designer Maria Grazia Chiuri collaborated with Ukrainian artist Olesia Trofymenko for the collection, infusing the designs with a poignant artistry and resiliency that recalls the country’s folk artists and traditions in gorgeous embroidery and honey-wheat hues.

This trend is all about capturing that sense of possibility, which can be done in the sunset hues of the prairie at dawn or billowy fabrics imprinted with unruly, yet delicate, wildflowers. Jennifer Lopez, for example, opted for a lavender interpretation of the trend, sauntering through the streets of New York City in a shimmering Gucci dress with puffed sleeves and promising flowers. Just as romantic, Ema Horvath captured the romance of the sublime in a cascading champagne Monique Lhuillier gown covered in tiny, perfect daisies.

For your dance dresses, look for designs that connote that sense of endlessness and optimism, whether through meadow-worthy wildflowers, dreamy silhouettes, or earthy neutrals.