Knwls RTW Spring 2022

Giovanni Giannoni/WWD

The dimly lit, underground parking venue that Charlotte Knowles and Alexander Arsenault picked as their show location was a prelude to the eerie, fierce mood they wanted to channel with their post-lockdown return to the catwalk.

The brand has been going from strength to strength with its signature corsets, printed leggings, and flair for 1990s nostalgia, catching the eye of every Hadid, Kardashian, and Instagram girl looking to make a statement.

For spring 2022, the duo wanted to sustain the momentum and push the boundaries even further: the lengths got shorter, the cutouts were bigger and the fabrics almost transparent.

The references to the designers’ favorite decades, the 1990s and early Aughts, were particularly strong here, so much so that some of the asymmetric skirts, slip dresses and bandanas in the label’s new range could almost transport you back to a Roberto Cavalli catwalk from that era. But Knowles and Arsenault are reimagining the aesthetic for the more empowered, social-media generation and want their interpretation of sexy to inspire women to feel “confident, in control” and even “dangerous.”

The models definitely looked like they don’t mess around as they strutted down the Oxford Street parking lot in sheer macramé trousers, barely there plaid shorts, and cutout tops exposing their midriffs. They finished the look with chunky sunglasses and extra large hoop earrings, created in collaboration with Andy Wolf and Marco Panconesi respectively, to mark their first foray into accessories.

The ’90s look was very of-the-moment and will no doubt keep the brand’s stylish audience coming back for more. But perhaps the most interesting pieces were the ones that felt less nostalgic and hinted at a more mature side of the Knwls woman, including worn-effect leather dresses, draped tops and cool half-leather, half-knitted bomber jackets.