After two years dominated by the pandemic, in 2022 the fashion and luxury industry faced new global challenges, including the war in Ukraine, the highest inflation rates in decades across the US, UK and Europe, and a slowing economy in China. But 2022 was also a year of momentous changes within the industry, with a new wave of brand creative directors and CEOs; controversies, via Kanye West and Balenciaga; and big announcements, such as Tom Ford’s acquisition.

Goodbye to André Leon Talley

On January 18, celebrated fashion editor and journalist André Leon Talley passed away at the age of 73. Talley, an unmistakable figure often dressed in a sweeping cape and Manolo Blahnik boots, worked for titles including Interview magazine, Women’s Wear Daily and US Vogue, where he became the first and only black creative director from 1988 to 1995. Born in 1948 in Washington DC and raised by his grandmother in Durham, North Carolina, Talley has been credited with paving the way for other black creatives in the industry. Fashion lost other important figures in 2022, including designers Thierry Mugler, Nino Cerruti, Issey Miyake, Hanae…