A dark sweetness: Dsquared2 Spring-Summer 2022

Although several firms decided to return to the long-awaited physical format for this Milan Fashion Week, which is already coming to an end, there are still brands that, for one reason or another, opted for the already well-known pre-recorded digital catwalk. This is the case of Dsquared2.

The twins Dean and Dan Caten, creative directors of the fashion house owned by OTB Group, held the reveal of Fairytale Grunge, their Spring-Summer 2022, in an abandoned warehouse, with no audience ready to capture with their cell phones the most iconic moments of this full-fledged runway show. For the twins, this option was the right one, as they commented that the virtual format helped them to correct some mistakes of their visually simple but ambitious production.

The name of the collection says it all: in a desolate environment, full of fast camera movements, wrapped in graffiti and held to the rhythm of electronic music, the models walked in garments that capture the soul of the grunge movement, elevating it to the upper echelons of luxury.

The makeup, nude in some cases, and highlighted with subtle outlines in others, was the ideal choice to play with the contrasts of a rough and delicate, soft and rigid installment, full of smooth textures and games of cuts, patterns and techniques.

Metallic fabrics were used to enhance the beauty of the transparencies (which left nothing to the imagination); the patchwork-like denim union was complemented with double-bottomed pierced elements reminiscent of military camouflage, applied to sweaters, shorts and pants; combat boots and platform boots were joined with their lifelong allies, leather jackets, and presented with floral patterned T-shirts, crowns and wings, creating a spectacular combination of two worlds that, although they might seem centuries away, are just two sides of the same coin: hardness and softness cannot exist without each other. In an outfit, they are a symphony of contrasts.

Dresses with more flowers, leather vests and knitted sweaters unfolded in a palette of colors ranging from orange and brown, taking their time on the greens, to review the use of creams and beiges, without forgetting the importance of blues and indispensable tones such as black or white.

Tulle, sequins and vinyl play a crucial role in Dsquared2’s Spring-Summer 2022, a collection that presents us with fairies, kings and queens of an urban fantasy that prepare to unwind in the shelter of the night, accompanied by a dark sweetness perfect for the times in which we live.