Fashion is back! That was the collective impression when the spring 2022 collections came to a close in early October last year with Nicolas Ghesquière's masquerade ball for Louis Vuitton. In a passage of the Louvre, in the open air, the models shelved the masks to put on some extravagant jewel sunglasses and what would be the new millennium version of the Belle Époque dresses.

But now we are in January and the only thing roaring is the Omicron variant. The situation of the next men's season, which will start in Florence at the beginning of next week, is in question, and who knows what the state of the world will be when the women's shows approach, whose start date is set for 11th of February. And there are many things that have us expectant, from the contribution of Glenn Martens to the haute couture of Jean Paul Gaultier to the collaboration of Riccardo Tisci with Lea T in the Burberry preseason, either live, direct or, what More likely, somewhere in between.

The industry loves premieres, and the start of 2022 brings us not one but three. Matthieu Blazy's first collection as creative director of Bottega Veneta will attract all eyes. That's partly due to the abrupt and surprising departure of his predecessor Daniel Lee, back when the brand was at its height, and partly because Blazy has long been admired for his behind-the-scenes work, most notably at Maison Margiela. The parade is scheduled for February 26 at eight in the afternoon in Milan.

We will also be keeping an eye on Camille Miceli's Emilio Pucci, although she herself has indicated that she is not interested in the catwalk. The Italian brand has been without an artistic director for five years, so whatever direction it takes, Miceli will be in the news. An industry veteran, with stints at Marc Jacobs' and Nicolas Ghesquière's Louis Vuitton (and a job at Dior in between), said that what she has in mind for the label is "joy and well-being."

Nigo, who has achieved his slice of fame with A Bathing Ape and Human Made, will also present his vision for LVMH's Kenzo earlier this year: the appointment on the men's calendar in Paris is January 23 at 11 a.m. Nigo is the first Japanese designer to lead the brand since founder Kenzo Takada stepped down in 1999, joining the LVMH fold in 2020 when the late Virgil Abloh collaborated with him on a pre-season menswear collection for Louis. Vuitton.

Will this be the year that Phoebe Philo's new brand sees the light of day? Will Alexander Wang return to the fashion scene? And what will Demna (why say his last name) do to continue on the path of success that he brought to Balenciaga in 2021? Stay tuned if you want to find out. Meanwhile, fashion will be back in full force when the second part of the Costume Institute's "American Lexicon" exhibit opens shortly after the Met Gala on the first Monday in May.