AW 22-23 accessories: an exuberant season The 18 October 2021 - Accessories

This season, nothing is too big…or too small! Accessories embrace immoderation and stake their claim to be the main players in clothing and leather goods.

Standing out, catching the eye and paying tribute to fantasy: to meet the creative desires of the season, accessories are taking their role to heart and won’t let anything steal their spotlight.

Bag handles are embellished with chains in recycled polyester and proudly display their extreme volumes: too long, too rounded, and random combinations of bright colours. In an arty spirit, upcycled textiles are interwoven with recycled plastic to create products that combine eco-responsible conscience and humour.

In full metal, chains are proudly displayed as decorations on square-toe moccasins with a notched platform sole.

Labels and jacrons make good use of expanded formats. To spotlight activist wording, 3D reliefs showcase or modify a specific part of the garment. Colours are fresh and happy, often played in a contrasting two-tone for a clashing effect that reworks the pop repertoire.

Buckles like stirrups are designed to be oversized and can be accumulated or literally doubled in size. A clever way of renewing the iconic bags and shoes of the season.

On ribbons, texts embroidered with a number of threads play with trompe l’œil effects and design captivating optical illusions. To complete products, ornamental panels composed of golden knits in deliberately outsize stitches are like robust and precious chainmail. In a more relaxed register, functional details look like ornaments, with brightly-coloured zips and buckles that boost the season’s coats and jackets.

Innovations that demonstrate a strong desire to reconcile sustainable commitment and creativity.

This season, accessories are also characterised by the special attention paid to materials and surfaces. A nod to craftmanship and items made by hand can be seen in collections with imitation effects covering buttons, buckles and brooches. Plastic buttons resemble textile quilting and padding and are scattered across preppie jackets and suits. To be explored in a golden version for a First Lady look, or in colour gradients for an Arty effect.

Accessories are decorated with tactile materials: witty with buckles in hairy or natural fur, with thick woollen yarns or with Raphia that is carefully wrapped around buttons. Ribbons and trimmings are decorated with embroideries made from coloured, material threads to which other materials are added, namely metal or wood. A way of paying tribute to DIY.Patches taken on textured appearances in reference to materials for upholstery and carpets – foamy, tufted or bouclé – and inflate literally as if to better proclaim their renewed freedom.

The art of the goldsmith is deployed to make this season’s accessories sparkle and cement the impression of opulence.Buttons and broches display gentle irregularities and subtly changing appearances, to reveal darkened golden highlights, like gems making accessories for next AW 22- 23 shine brightly. A certain penchant for excess showcases a rather flashy luxury, with collections infused by an underlying reference to the bourgeois spirit. Chic and shock buckles are decorated with multiple elements evoking patinated punches, or are illuminated with discreet sequins, rather like stardust. Ribbons are decorated with lurex threads and take inspiration from the Art & Craft movement: crocheted items made from gold threads woven together with precision and delicacy. And then sometimes the gilding is bolder and more yellow. Labels are decorated with fine goldleaf which is overlayed to infinity and combines with writing in relief. Gold chains are decorated with hammered effects that attenuate the shine of the gold and give a patina worthy of an artisan-made item.Sometimes a plethora of tiny rhinestones cluster on the metal, bordering on the outrageous.