The Standout Accessories of Spring/Summer 2022, According to the World’s Top Buyers

“This season’s collections had a feeling of optimism and fun,” says British Vogue’s commerce director, Naomi Smart. “With a return to IRL meetings, events, and celebrations, accessories designers have flexed their imaginations to the max and delivered slick, surreal, and poppy investments that will last (and bring joy) for years to come.”

From Y2K-inspired bags to mega-platforms and surrealist heels, let the world’s top buyers inform your next purchase. Scroll on to shop the best accessories available now. 

All that glitters

Tiffany Hsu, vice president of womenswear and kidswear fashion buying at Mytheresa.com, sees the sparkle craze as a “symbol for hope.” The retail platform has bet big on embellished bags and shoes this season.

It’s a similar story at Matchesfashion.com. Head of womenswear Cassie Smart believes that embellished accessories offer customers a “sense of joy and escapism”—feelings that we yearned for during the pandemic. At Browns, the steady return to parties has prompted a desire for “full-throttle glamour,” reports head of womenswear buying Heather Gramston.

The fashion pack is coveting Mach & Mach’s bejeweled footwear. “The eye-catching crystals and playful silhouettes are a favorite with our customers,” reveals Rickie de Sole, women’s fashion and editorial director at Nordstrom. “With the return of dressing up, we’re ditching our sneakers and grabbing our party shoes.”

At Threads Styling, “crystal everything is flying,” according to editor-in-chief Rachel Ingram. Prada’s crystallized belt bag and Benedetta Bruzziches’s glittery bags are some of the most sought-after pieces. 

Make it pop

Of all the accessories that graced the spring/summer 2022 runways, Jonathan Anderson’s surrealist shoes at Loewe stole the show. Libby Page, senior market editor at Net-a-porter.com, says that the designer’s artsy footwear—which came with cracked eggs, nail varnishes, and wilting roses as heels—will become “pieces of fashion history.” Snap up the limited stock still available at Matchesfashion.com and Net-a-porter.com. “It’s all about being the destination for the cult items that almost act as fashion memorabilia,” explains Page of the latter’s strategy.

Offbeat investments 

Ingram notes that shoppers are veering away from “traditional” investments and towards bolder buys. “We’ve seen an uptick in investment pieces from handbags to footwear, particularly in brightly colored adventurous choices,” says De Sole. 

Over at Net-a-porter.com, the team dedicated its Go For Bold spring/summer 2022 campaign to “striking silhouettes and vibrant accessories,” shares Page, highlighting Bottega Veneta’s racer-green intrecciato Jodie bag as a bestseller.

Keep it classic

Among the weird and wonderful accessories that emerged at the shows, there were an array of classic bag shapes to get excited about. Prada’s Re-Edition 1995 tote bag—a modern update of a ’90s-era style, available in glossy black or postbox-red—is one such piece. “Customers are seeking longevity, and are investing in classic, timeless pieces,” says Gramston, who’s noticed growing demand for investment products at Browns.