How the balaclava stormed the AW22 catwalk

The modern resurgence of balaclavas, like many of today’s fashion trends, is perhaps thanks to Demna Gvasalia. In his fall 2018 collection for Vetements, the designer sent models down the runway in an array of head coverings, from woollen styles to tightly wrapped floral scarfs. This autumn/winter, the prevalence of balaclavas in designer collections has surely come to a head: there were peaked versions at Givenchy; striped styles at Paul Smith and painterly helmets at Louis Vuitton, to name a few.

Other brands riffed on the idea, with Craig Green adding what looks to be an inflatable neck pillow and Loewe designer Jonathan Anderson making a love heart out of the face hole. Whether interpretive or more classic, a balaclava will see you through the worst of the winter months, and then some.