Dezeen's top 10 fashion projects of 2022
Continuing our review of 2022, we have selected 10 of the biggest fashion design stories published on Dezeen this year including global viral moments and unexpected collaborations.
This roundup of 2022 fashion projects features a number of couture collaborations, such as a line of denim hats by British milliner Stephen Jones and Dutch denim brand G-Star RAW and an aluminium speaker bag created by fashion house Balenciaga and audio brand Bang & Olufsen.
Other projects include viral moments such as Coperni's spray-on dress that resulted in Dezeen highlighting 10 experimental and unconventional dresses.
Read on for Dezeen's top 10 fashion stories of 2022:
Denim hats by Stephen Jones and G-Star RAW
Famous British milliner Stephen Jones collaborated with Dutch clothing brand G-Star RAW to create a collection of ready-to-wear and couture denim hats.
The collection comprises five haute couture and two ready-to-wear headpieces that were crafted from responsibly sourced, Cradle to Cradle certified fabric. It includes sculptural pieces with subversive takes on typical headwear such as bucket hats, baseball caps and sunhats.
Find out more about these denim hats ›
Spray-on dress by Coperni and Fabrican
During Paris Fashion Week's Spring Summer 2023 womenswear shows, Parisian fashion brand Coperni created one of fashion's most viral moments of the year. Coperni collaborated with spray-on fabric technology company Fabrican to spray a dress onto the body of model Bella Hadid live on the runway.
A liquid polymer material made up of natural and synthetic fibres was sprayed onto Hadid's body from an aerosol spray gun that then formed a non-woven fabric as it came into contact with the body.
Find out more about this spray-on dress ›
Sprouting clothes by Loewe and Paula Ulargui Escalona
Grasses and plants growing from sodden clothes were presented at Spanish fashion brand Loewe's Spring Summer 2023 menswear show which took place during Paris Fashion Week.
The sprouting garments were a collaboration between Loewe and Spanish bio-designer Paula Ulargui Escalona, who cultivated cats wort and chia onto hoodies, sweatpants, shoes, jeans and outwear in a purpose-built polytunnel greenhouse.
Find out more about this collection ›
Speaker Bag by Balenciaga and Bang & Olufsen
Debuted at Balenciaga's 51st couture show in Paris, the Speaker Bag is a limited edition aluminium bag, described as "part bag, part Bluetooth sound system", that was created in collaboration with Danish audio brand Bang & Olufsen.
"This innovative device is part bag, part Bluetooth sound system," said Balenciaga. "It can be used as a portable speaker, a functional purse, or both, as a true hybrid product."
Find out more about the Speaker Bag ›
Computer key clothes by JW Anderson
As a comment on the human relationship with technology and consumerism, British fashion brand JW Anderson sent a halterneck top constructed from hundreds of desktop computer keys down a runway at London Fashion Week.
The brand's show notes described the concept as: "A parallel world of people trapped in their computers, blending with keyboards and screensavers, exploring other dimensions. Nature filtered by the digital ego, becoming a personal collateral."
Find out more about this show ›
Eames Office x Reebok Classic Leather by Reebok
Sportswear brand Reebok collaborated with Eames Office to launch a collection of trainers that incorporate elements of toys and furniture designed by mid-century modern figures Charles and Ray Eames.
Titled Eames Office x Reebok Classic Leather, the collection reimagines three designs by Charles and Ray Eames as trainers – including the Eames Elephant, rosewood material and the Eames Coloring Toy.
Find out more about Eames Office x Reebok Classic Leather ›
At Balenciaga's Autumn Winter 2022 show, which was presented in a glass-walled "snow globe" and referenced the ongoing climate crisis and Ukraine war, the brand sent a model down the runway wearing a body suit constructed completely from yellow tape branded with Balenciaga's logo.
The body suit was constructed prior to the show by wrapping metres of yellow tape around the body of the model to create a form-fitting second skin. Since then, the look has been seen on the likes of Kim Kardashian and Lizzo.
Find out more about this show ›
In June of this year, social media brand Meta announced its plans to launch Avatars Store – an online marketplace where users of its platforms can purchase digital clothing from Balenciaga, Prada and Thom Browne for their avatars.
Users of Meta's social media platforms, including Instagram, Messenger and Facebook, will be able to dress their avatars in looks from Balenciaga's Autumn Winter 2020 show and Prada's Autumn Winter 2022 show.
Find out more about Avatars Store ›
American designer Thom Browne staged a "teddy talk", a take on a TED Talk, for its Autumn Winter 2022 show during New York Fashion Week in May of this year.
The show saw 500 custom Thom Browne teddy bears sitting on chairs watching a host, or "chairbear", as the brand described, who was dressed in a grey tailored outfit with a large top hat that a teddy bear featured built into it.
Find out more about the show ›
Heinekicks by The Shoe Surgeon and Heineken
Los Angeles designer The Shoe Surgeon collaborated with beer brand Heineken to create the Heinekicks, a bubble-sole trainer filled with Dutch lager.
Beer was injected into the bubble soles of the trainer using surgical methods that meant the alcohol was securely trapped, while a clear tube wrapping around the upper of the shoe was also filled.
Find out more about Heinekicks ›