Hermès Spring 2022 Women's RTW: Airborne Elegance and Practical Luxury

At the finale of Hermès' Spring 2022 Women's Ready-to-Wear show, held at Le Bourget airport in France, designer Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski took her bow to the usual applause, but was nearly upstaged by the perfectly timed landing of an airplane in the background. Though I'm told this was serendipitous, it could not have been a more fitting metaphor for the collection. Once again reading the prevailing winds of fashion, Vanhee-Cybulski addressed society's transition from lockdowns and working from home back to a more public life.

The show was a testament to elegant, if not necessarily affordable, practicality. It combined chic style with the luxurious details synonymous with Hermès RTW, while offering just enough comfort to entice us to get dressed. The lineup included drapey, flowing silhouettes, drawstring waists, and familiar shapes and lengths, subtly modernized. Among the standout pieces were leather shorts, flowing pants, and a particularly covetable leather hooded vest.

Accessories were notably minimal, both in size and prominence. I spotted two new bags and the return of a third. The first, named Sac Maximors, resembles a miniature Polochon with a horsebit handle and a stowaway strap. The second is a pouch worn across the model's back, though not ideal for subway use. The third is the Mors de Bride, not new but rarely seen in boutiques. Off the runway, other bags included a Bolide with a canvas strap and printed bottom, a Bearn-inspired bag, colorful Kelly Depeches with front zippers, and a Birkin sling with a single strap.

My only quibbles were the core-centered looks—tiny tops, large bottoms, bulky shoes—which may not flatter those with hips or a stomach, and the clunky dad sandals paired with leather socks, reminiscent of Margiela's hoof shoes.

Despite these limitations, I found much to love. The collection made sense for the time and place, appealing and accessible, much like that plane making its perfect landing. Vanhee-Cybulski succeeded in delivering Hermès' casual elegance for the present moment.