5 aesthetics that defined 2022

The year 2022 was a maximalist year. The aesthetics that defined the imagery of the second year after the pandemic, the apocalypse of our century, reflect the expectations of a world that feels it has survived a catastrophe and wants to make up for all the time lost while on standby. On Instagram, we asked you to vote on which of the 4 proposed aesthetics was the one that defined 2022, and starting with the Apocalypse Core that scored 16% of the votes, we say that the liking of a dystopian fashion is growing, but it is definitely fashion that explores a darker and more mysterious femininity, with femme fatale looks traceable to the Dark Feminine Aesthetic reigning supreme, given the 60% of votes garnered by the aesthetic fully represented by Alexa Demie, the it-girl of 2022 according to the nss G-Club audience. The situation of continuous adaptation after a traumatic period leads to seeking answers even in the occult and embracing a dark look, for a revival of Gothic Chic, which thanks to Wednesday Addams earns second place in the ranking with 19% of votes in its favor. In 2022, the use of color was also influenced by the post-traumatic syndrome: it was used in an all-encompassing way, such as the eternal pink of Barbiecore, which, however, did not prove relevant and ranks last with 9%, while Silvercore, the child of a futurist aesthetic strand, is on the rise. Many of these aesthetics will continue to dominate 2023, so let's delve into them to understand them 100%.

Apocalypse Core

If Julia Fox's every public appearance has garnered wide media attention, it is not only to the actress's sculpted physique or her character, but mostly to what she wears. Dresses with cut-outs that become the structure of the garment itself, worn one on top of the other in a clever play of layering, are part of a style that covers and uncovers the body as if it had just emerged from the ashes. Between Yohji Yamamoto's wabi-sabi echo, Nensi Dojaka's hyper-feminine version, and Glenn Martens' futuristic visions for Diesel that marry nostalgia for the 2000s, the brands that defined the Apocalypse Core will continue to evolve the style in 2022. 

Dark Feminine Aesthetic

This was the year we fell in love with so-called "complex female characters," that is, those multifaceted and complicated characters that are difficult to classify as good or bad, and consequently more real than others. An edgy femininity that favors elegant and timeless garments, elongated eyes from the bewitching makeup renamed Siren Eyes and very short hair, with a clear reference to the femme fatales of the 1920s. The hallmark of the characters who embody the Dark Feminine aesthetic is the free and honest relationship with their sexuality, in which seduction and quick insight coexist for the red flags of those who want to harm them. A perfect example is Alexa Demie, who plays a pain-broken Maddy in Euphoria 2 but who manages to get out of her toxic relationship through her relationship with herself. 

Gothic

After its dark period, fashion has gone to the dark side. Black has always been the color of those working behind the scenes in fashion, but this year wearing total black outfits with accessories that dredge up the aggressive undertones of goth imagery has been more popular than ever. In a version evolving from the 1980s post-punk scene from which it originated, the goth subculture today mixes the symbolic use of lace and Victorian-style clothing with elements of the dark academia and more avant-garde style, opting for garments with modified lines and studded accessories. Although it may go without saying, the icon of this aesthetic is Jenna Ortega, an actress on the rise thanks to her role as Wednesday Addams, crowned queen of gothic chic thanks to the black lace wedding dress by Versace that she wore to the premiere of the Netflix series, a dress by the way worn on the runway by Vittoria Ceretti.

Barbiecore

It is no coincidence that in 2022 the filming of the Barbie movie began and the Marylin biopic brought attention back to the pink dress from the famous scene in Men Prefer Blondes. In 2022, pink has reclaimed its place in the range of the most popular colors used in fashion. Thanks undoubtedly to Pierpaolo Piccioli's PPPink and the campaign starring Zendaya, the shocking pink reminiscent of the Mattel doll tinted both men's and women's fashion week runways, finally clearing the posturing gender codes that burdened the color that has always wrongly distinguished the two sexes. Balenciaga and Loewe also recovered from the Barbiecore aesthetic the designs for their footwear creations, designing rounded pumps with almond necklines on the foot, perfect to wear to really feel that "life in plastic, it's fantastic." Of the same opinion, of course, is Paris Hilton, who lives her life as a billionaire entrepreneur as well as living Barbie always in the spotlight, keeping the shocking pink y2k obsession alive in her clever nostalgic personal branding strategies.

Silvercore

Talking about nostalgia in 2022 is now part of everyday life. This year, the search for references that can demonstrate the evolution of the human species in technology all lead to the color silver, which is extremely used in fashion. Garments, accessories and beauty looks take on this "aluminum" effect that brings to mind the colors of the Apple devices we use every day, to conquer a refined, futuristic and even a bit y2k effect. The icon of the silvercore aesthetic is Kim Kardashian, who had silver hair until a few weeks ago and sported total silver looks during her long collaboration with Balenciaga, currently halted due to the recent Balenciaga Gate.