Review of Dsquared2 Fall 2022 Men’s Fashion Shows
A Gleeful Post-Grunge Trek Up a Mountain of Color
By Mark Wittmer
Dsquared2 sets out for adventure with their Fall 2022 men’s collection, which was presented as the house’s first physical show since the start of the pandemic.
Across an angular, all-black set that felt like a deconstructed mountain range, models marched in riotously colorful and pattern-splashed looks melding signature Dsquared2 grunge Canadiana with alpine action. Puffer jackets and parkas were layered over flannels; colorful knit sweaters graced cargo pants.
The brightly patterned and tassled knits, wool hats, and blanketing silhouettes subtly but unmistakably recall traditional Andean men’s clothing. It’s an intriguing cultural reference point for Dsquared2, which (unless its committing an overtly racist blunder (though luckily they’ve put those seasons behind them)) tends to keep things pretty close to home.
Of course their chilly home of Canada and its penchant for robust winter activity are never far away. One mountainous aesthetic meets another as modern mountaineering gear like trekking backpacks, climbing harnesses, and snow boots dominate the collection.
Looks are overloaded with accessories and details: water bottle holsters, caps with cowls that can close into balaclavas, leg warmers, sunglasses, jewelry, gloves, scarves, mini duffle bags (the new fanny pack?), and lots of pockets.
Some pieces were harder to place in the overall theme and instead felt like moments where Dean and Dan were just letting themselves have as much fun as possible, like the cowhide boots or glittering sequined shorts. However, the eclecticism of the collection made it so that these digressions never felt out of place, and instead served to expand its syncretist scope and personality. It even could have been nice to see the twin creative directors push this a bit more and synthesize other new styles and ideas into the collection, may have felt a bit repetitive.
All in all, Dean and Dan keep things pretty close to the Dsquared2 playbook, though lean more towards its playful and exuberant side than some of the more edgy, more grunge-inflected outings we’ve seen recently. Hiking through a retro-inflected world of mountain gear and gleefully claiming everything they see, they seek adventure in bold combinations and maximum technicality and accessorizing, while staying comfy by sticking with what they do best.