As we look ahead to the new season, the biggest designers and luxury houses have rolled out joyful and inclusive new fashion campaigns for their Spring/Summer collections. And, whether it’s Naomi Campbell for Balmain, Snoop Dogg for Gucci or the Hadid sisters for Versace – all of whom have been photographed by the biggest names in the industry – this season’s fashion imagery is awash with famous faces. Here, we’ve rounded up all the most captivating new fashion campaigns for the season ahead.
SS22's New Fashion Campaigns
Balmain
Olivier Rousteing is never one to pass up on an opportunity to make a statement. During his tenth anniversary show for Balmain last September – as much a music festival as it was a runway presentation – the charismatic creative director decided to partner with Mert and Marcus to shoot the images for his next campaign backstage at the show. The result is a series of candid shots of some of the fashion industry’s biggest icons, including Naomi Campbell, Carla Bruni and Lara Stone.
The duo’s images – which were taken behind-the-scenes on the day of the show – capture models posing casually (or somewhat less casually, in the case of the ever-glamorous Campbell) against the backdrop of the of the Parisian music hall where the show was held, with nothing but rows of seating for a backdrop. Spontaneous and raw, the images were designed to reflect the rebellious spirit of the brand’s infamous Balmain Army.
Louis Vuitton
The French Maison is known for using stellar names in their campaigns and this season is no exception. Lars von Trier favourite Stacy Martin, Nine Perfect Strangers actor Samara Weaving and Squid Game breakout star Hoyeon Jung all feature in the campaign, alongside Congolese-Belgian singer Lous and the Yakuza, which was shot by legendary British fashion photographer David Sims.
The bold and colour-filled images exude an air of 60s pop, shot against bright pink, acid yellow and sky-blue backdrops. Each of the models has been captured in a series of dance-like poses – a hint to the ball-inspired gowns from the collection – while the vibrant shots perfectly embody the collection’s confident aesthetic.
Dior
Colour is the order of the day over at Dior, whose new campaign pays homage to the work of renowned artist Anna Paparatti. Set against a monochromatic striped background, Maria Grazia Chiuri’s designs burst to life with bold pops of colour, from vibrant tangerine and dazzling turquoise to acid green. Captured by long-time Dior favourite Brigitte Niedermair, the images offer up a playful look for spring.
The cubic silhouettes and 3D embroidered cuts echo the fashion house’s ready-to-wear collection shown in Paris last year, while the campaign shots also feature some of the maison’s most iconic designs, including a micro version of the Lady Dior bag. Accompanied by an expertly choreographed video set to the music of Daft Punk, it offers up a thoroughly modern vision for this season.
Gucci
Following the Italian brand’s star-studded Love Parade catwalk show on Hollywood Boulevard last November was never going to be easy, but Alessandro Michele loves a challenge. His new campaign acts almost as a sequel to the runway extravaganza, featuring many of the same faces as well as a few notable new additions, including Snoop Dogg, Miley Cyrus, Beanie Feldstein and Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae.
Shot by Mert & Marcus, the images start off in a white table-clothed restaurant, where the starry cast are seen eating pink-frosted cake and laughing, clad in a selection of satin suits, cowboy hats and faux fur, before moving on to a full-on rave, where Gucci muse Jared Leto is seen swaying to the music and Miley Cyrus is captured crowd surfing in stockings and a matching bra. The result is a celebration of hedonistic high fashion at its finest.
Alexander McQueen
Alexander McQueen’s latest campaign shots have a distinctly vintage feel to them, largely due to the fact that they’re shot in moody black and white. The colourway is something of a calling card for top American fashion photographer Steven Meisel, who has shot many of his most arresting images in monochrome.
Recognisable faces including Lara Stone, Fran Summer and Anok Yai have been cast to lead the campaign, with shots of them in diaphanous dresses and heavily embellished gowns juxtaposed with the sort of sharp tailoring the brand is best known for. The pared-back shots manage to feel both cutting-edge and timeless at the same time – a rare feat.
Burberry
For their latest campaign, the British fashion house wanted to capture the power of self-expression and duality through photographing the men’s and women’s collections from multiple perspectives. The shots were designed as a visual dialogue between Mert and Marcus, who shot the models in a studio, and photographer Chris Rhodes, who captured candid backstage images at the brand’s spring 2022 presentations.
In a statement, Burberry’s chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci revealed: “As we come out of lockdowns around the world, I wanted this campaign to make people feel something, free to dream, free to feel youthful and alive again. It is a beautiful dance, a very raw energy that’s powerful and full of life. Like an awakening.”
Miu Miu
At their Spring/Summer 2022 show in Paris, all attention was on the micro-mini skirts and cropped shirts that paraded down the runway. Now those designs have been given centre stage in Miu Miu’s latest campaign, which is titled ‘Basic Instincts’ and was shot by London-based photographer and filmmaker Tyrone Lebon.
The Italian label tapped a group of young creatives to model the collection, including The Crown’s Emma Corrin, Hailey Baldwin and Ever Anderson, who were enlisted to embody the fashion house’s rebellious spirit. Shot against ethereal pastel pink, blue and grey backgrounds, the images exude the brand’s trademark cool.
Fashion Campaigns
Prada
Euphoria is one of the most talked about television shows of recent years and its breakout star, Hunter Schafer, one of the most exciting new names in fashion and cinema. Chosen as one of Prada’s faces in 2020, the actor is back to front their latest Spring/Summer campaign, which was launched just two days after the second season of the hit HBO show aired.
Schafer is joined by models and fellow muses Julia Nobis, Selena Forrest and Lina Zhang in the David Sims-captured shots, which explore the themes of desire and sensuality in fashion. Focusing on the acts of dressing and undressing, in one Schafer is seen lacing up a leather shirt, while in another Nobis reveals the plunging back of her dress, with the intimate shots designed to capture the inherent sexiness of the new season pieces.
Michael Kors
While Kendall Jenner may be best known as a Californian girl, the supermodel has embraced a New York state of mind for Michael Kors’ latest campaign, which celebrates the designer’s beloved hometown. Photographed by Inez and Vinoodh, Kendall is captured on the top of Prospect Tower in East Manhattan, posing against the Tudor City sign with the Chrysler Building and New York City skyline in the background.
Captured wearing the label’s feminine silhouettes and red carpet-ready gowns, the images act as a sort of love letter to the city. “When I think about what endures, it’s love — romantic love, but also love for your friends, your family and for your city,” said Kors in a statement. “With this campaign, we wanted to bring to life urban romance and the unique juxtaposition of the strength and grit of New York City with the love that it inspires time and again.”
Versace
If Versace’s latest campaign shots look more than a little familiar, there’s a good reason – the Italian label turned to its heritage archive imagery shot by Richard Avedon for inspiration. The playful shots feature sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid as well as Donatella Versace herself, in a series of images taken by Mert & Marcus to capture the notions of sisterhood, community and friendship.
“Family is always at the heart of everything I do, which is why I love Bella and Gigi so much,” revealed the designer in a statement. “They perfectly exemplify the strength between sisters, and they share that message to our Versace sisterhood worldwide. I want this campaign to be a warm hug to the global Versace family at the start of 2022!”
