Best women’s beachwear for turning up the heat
Celine, Saint Laurent, Chanel, Fendi and Lanvin serve up scintillating ensembles for a scorching summer break
![Best women's beachwear, Chanel bag and Saint Laurent jumpsuit](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/upB5zsRPoTvYaz7Eai4v7D-415-80.jpg)
A heady host of designers took to heart the maxim ‘life’s a beach’ for S/S 2022, creating body-revealing women’s beachwear that had all the dramatic abandon of not just barefoot dancing on smooth pebbles, but a disco ball spinning above. For the upcoming season, make the disco-inflected beach party your ultimate escapist event, where any outré embellishment – be it beading, sequins or spandex – is invited.
Illustrator Antonio Lopez was a regular at Studio 54 in New York, before he swapped its packed dancefloor for the white-sanded shore of St Tropez in 1970, hanging out with then-rising fashion star Karl Lagerfeld, who had joined Fendi three years before. For S/S 2022, the Roman house’s Kim Jones was captivated by a series of Lopez’s archive drawings – featuring flowing-haired beauties and rainbow-splashed stripes – and emblazoned these across glittering strapless dresses, best worn barefoot.
The 1970s also resonated with Anthony Vaccarello at Saint Laurent, who looked to its founder Yves Saint Laurent’s longtime muse Paloma Picasso as inspiration. A ‘glamorous toughness’ punctuated the Parisian maison’s collection, which included skin-flashing spandex catsuits that would make for a sublime swimsuit-centric silhouette on the shore.
Best women’s beachwear: Chanel to Fendi
Top, dress, £3,300, by Fendi. Above, dress, price on request, by Celine
Celine, likewise, looked to the spirit of the French Riviera, showcasing its collection on the Nice beachfront. Its suggested look for a sunset party poolside? A gown glittering in sequins and beads, slashed seductively at the décolleté.
Lanvin’s Bruno Sialelli had an ocean of references for the Parisian house’s glamour-oozing S/S 2022, spanning from Batman to Bavarian churches. What will the brand’s heroine be sporting this summer? A densely tinselled puffball skirt and matching bra top in beaded abstract pansies.
Any scintillating soirée – be it at a beachclub or on a private shore – requires an eye-catching accessory. The bag to hold all your escapist accoutrements? Chanel’s ‘2.55 Hobo’ – an elegant, roomy style with a tactile chain strap – in which to stow your emergency towel and snorkel, for when you go for a spontaneous late-night swim.
INFORMATION
A version of this article is featured in the March 2022 issue of Wallpaper*, on newsstands now and available to subscribers
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
-
‘Hedonistic and avant-garde’: Rabanne’s Julian Dossena on the legacy of the chainmail 1969 bag
Paco Rabanne’s 1969 chainmail handbag encapsulates the late designer’s futuristic, space-age style. Current creative director Julien Dossena tells Wallpaper* about the bag’s particular pleasures
By Jack Moss Published
-
Postcard from Paris: Olympic fever takes over the streets
On the eve of the opening ceremony of Paris 2024, our correspondent shares her views from the streets of the capital about how the event is impacting the urban landscape.
By Minako Norimatsu Published
-
The Mercury Prize nominees for 2024 have been revealed
Charli XCX, The Last Dinner Party and Beth Gibbons are amongst this year's nominees
By Charlotte Gunn Published
-
Saint Laurent’s ‘Tan Lines’ collection is made for the heat of summer
A host of warm-weather essentials get the Saint Laurent treatment in Anthony Vaccarello’s ‘Tan Lines’ capsule – from bikes and tennis balls to swimwear and handbags
By Jack Moss Published
-
Chanel Beauty Summer 2024 is here, with fantasy florals and insect green nails
The Chanel Beauty Summer 2024 collection by Ammy Drammeh is inspired by a fantasy garden and worn by Lily-Rose Depp in a new campaign
By Mary Cleary Published
-
Lanvin’s new artistic director is British designer Peter Copping
Announced by Lanvin today, new artistic director Peter Copping comes with a wealth of industry experience, including creative director roles at Nina Ricci and Oscar de la Renta
By Jack Moss Published
-
Celine’s pilates collection makes for a deeply luxurious workout
Hedi Slimane’s pilates collection for Celine contains all your workout essentials, reimagined in the designer’s singular style – from leather kettlebells and weights to a Triomphe reformer machine
By Jack Moss Published
-
Milan Fashion Week Men’s S/S 2025 highlights: Prada to Zegna
Wallpaper* picks the best moments from Milan Fashion Week Men‘s S/S 2025, from 15 years of MSGM to Prada’s celebration of youth, and an appearance from Mads Mikkelsen at Zegna
By Jack Moss Published
-
‘Becoming Karl Lagerfeld’: Daniel Brühl on playing the fashion legend in new series
Award-winning actor Daniel Brühl opens up to Wallpaper* about playing Karl Lagerfeld in ‘Becoming Karl Lagerfeld’, a new biopic of the legendary designer from Disney+
By Zoe Whitfield Published
-
Pre-Fall 2024’s defining looks combine sharp silhouettes with a soft touch
A play on texture defines the Pre-Fall 2024 collections, seeing clean lines and pin-sharp tailoring meet soft-to-the-touch fabrics. Here, photographer Mattia Parodi captures the season’s best looks
By Jack Moss Published
-
Virginie Viard is leaving Chanel
After 30 years, Chanel has confirmed that Virginie Viard – who took over as artistic director from Karl Lagerfeld in 2019 – is leaving the Parisian house
By Jack Moss Published