Aries Is All Grown Up
The U.K. label’s Fall/Winter 2022 collection combines house cues with formality, functionality, subtlety and a dash of energy.
Sofia Prantera has a penchant for the esoteric, creating a brand that sat exclusively with the it-crowd when it first came to market in 2012. Since, Aries has gone on to become one of the U.K.’s best homegrown labels, transcending the streetwear box it was pigeonholed into from infancy to emerge as a uniform for a cult of creative like-minded people that wanted to respect the roots of streetwear — insert bold graphics, colors and iconoclastic logos — while taking it to the next step. Likewise, Aries has evolved for Fall/Winter 2022, presenting its most comprehensive and dedicated collection to date, all while keeping the focus on being a provocateur and pioneer in its field.
Naturally, graphics punctuate the seasonal offering — however, Aries has taken visuals to new heights with a combination of designs working alongside custom fabrics that have been made by its factory in Italy. Such fabrics are screen printed before cutting to offer an almost endless aesthetic to prints that are fit for celebrations and raves, layering makes an appearance alongside overdyeing, destruction and washing, while frequent brand motifs like spider webs are now translated as singular pieces, notably a string vest cut-out with web-like construction details.
Laser-etching makes for trompe-l’œil Aries branding scratched into denim, acting like a futuristic form of distressing. Tailoring echoes that signature Aries nonchalance with its boxy, loose fit, while sun-bleached faded jerseys and multi-yarn knits warm things up for the colder months ahead, each of which drenched in rich hues evocative of fall such as “Rusty Orange,” “Henna Red” and “Bottle Green.”
“Acid Green” and “Cobalt Blue,” two signifiers of Aries’ past work, are now used as highlights instead, drawing the eye to the brand’s motifs — but really, it’s the subdued attitudes that sing this season. From a collegiate — almost looking like Greek alphabet Frat house logos — rollneck in oatmeal tones to a pair of trousers that emulate passed-down photo albums (but is in fact an allover saints card design), or a particularly strong varsity jacket (here worn over lace underwear), Aries has pulled off the power of craft and attention to detail that makes FW22 one of its greatest works thus far.
Aries’ FW22 collection is available to buy online now and will land in stores imminently. Take a closer look at the Clare Shilland-shot lookbook above.
In other news, here are eight more drops you don’t want to miss this week.
