These Are the 8 Designer Brands Defining 2022

The Luxury List is a monthly column on all things luxury, exploring cult items from heritage brands, tapping the foremost experts in the fashion space, and doing deep dives into the investments pieces that are worth it.

I always look to the fashion set to see which collections are resonating when they launch on the runways and which pieces end up being snapped up to wear IRL once they’re released. Though we’re still only several months into the year, I’ve been interested to see the designers that are taking hold and defining 2022 and there are already some frontrunners.

So, what are the best designer brands to have on your radar right now? Celebrity personal shopper Gabriel Waller recently named brands including Hermès, Saint Laurent, and Chanel among the most-requested fashion designers amongst her A-list clientele, backing up some observations I’ve been making about shopping patterns emerging in the luxury space this year. Other labels, including Prada, landed on the It-list for Rachel Ingram, the editor in chief of Threads Styling, who named the brand’s accessories as key investment items this season.

Further yet, more brands have been gaining major traction with strong buys from retailers and a huge presence in the wardrobes of fashion insiders. Ahead, see the coolest designer brands to invest in this year.

There is no question that Prada is one of the designer brands truly defining fashion in 2022. Not only was the S/S 22 collection one of the most talked-about of the season, setting the trend for oversize leather jackets and micro miniskirts, but the accessories continue to make a huge impact on the fashion set. The re-edition 1995 tote bag recently dropped and is set to be one of the biggest new bags in recent memory.

With brand ambassadors including A-listers like Zoë Kravitz and Hailey Bieber, Saint Laurent has been making a constant appearance on red carpets and the street style scene alike. With buzzy shoes including their toe-cap slingbacks and the just-launched Icare shopper bag, Saint Laurent already has a running list of cult accessories that are nearly impossible to track down because they’re flying off the shelves.

When Hedi Slimane reimagined Celine, he reimagined French style with a collection of elevated pieces that would fit into a Parisian woman’s wardrobe. Elevated staples are hallmarks of the brand, including box bags and curved sunglasses finished with the Triomphe motif—both pieces fashion people are collecting right now.

Always a highlight on the fashion week calendar, Loewe’s shows never disappoint with Jonathan Anderson at the helm. This season in particular, the brand is nailing what fashion people want to wear with everything from logo tank tops to the return of the iconic Amazona bag, a piece that originally debuted over 40 years ago.

Relatively new compared to many of the heritage luxury brands on this list, Khaite is carving itself out as a modern take on a luxury label that is really resonating with fashion people. From perfectly-cut jeans to tailored leather jackets to finely-crafted footwear, insiders can’t get enough of their updated take on elevated staples.

It doesn’t get more classic than Chanel—or more in-demand. For spring, there is a long list of pieces that luxury shoppers can’t wait to get their hands on. That includes everything from their recently debuted 22 shopper bag to their ’80s throwback shield sunglasses to their logo jewelry. And don’t forget the ’90s-inspired swimwear that is bound to be huge this summer.

When it comes to bags, it doesn’t get more iconic than Hermès. Recently, the interest in the iconic bags has been renewed in a huge way with sales for Birkin and Kelly bags soaring. As shoppers continue to increase spending on investment items, it makes sense that they are thinking long-term and purchasing bags that will last a lifetime and only increase in value.

From a buzzy collection on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles to some stunning launches including the Bamboo 1947 bag and rhinestone slingback heels, Gucci continues to be the Italian fashion house that insiders can’t get enough of. Oh, and please keep the Harry Styles outfits coming.