Zimmermann Fall 2022 Ready-to-Wear Collection

What does the Zimmermann girl wear into fall? It’s easy to imagine her in summer, tossing on an elaborately embroidered, frilly minidress after a day on Bondi beach. The colorful florals that designer Nicky Zimmermann has become synonymous with just beg for 80 degree weather. The colder months don’t support fantasy quite as well—with the need for coats and layers—but that didn’t stop Zimmermann from trying. She has to. Her business in the Northern Hemisphere continues to grow (after New York Fashion Week, she’ll head to Florida to open three new storefronts).

The designer looked to the stars this season. The focal point is a series of 12 zodiac prints designed by the Scottish artist Anita Inverarity, which depict an avatar for each sign along with the animal they’re associated with. “I work in an office with a lot of young people and we’re always having conversations like, ‘you’re the Aquarian, would you mind cleaning up your desk?’ and they’ll say ‘you’re so annoying; you’re the Virgo,’” says Zimmermann (who is indeed a Virgo.) “It struck me as funny that people actually do say those things.” The prints—which appear on dresses with crinoline-enforced bouncy hemlines, colorful tights, and, for the Leo, a catsuit—make you want to find your semi-personalized outfit. Fortunately, it’s not immediately obvious which star sign aligns with which dress, in the event that a Capricorn falls in love with the Aries colors.

Back to dressing for colder weather. At a moment when every celebrity style star seems to be in desperate need of a catsuit, Zimmermann is showing several, mostly as layering pieces. Naturally, they’re used as a base layer under more casual ensembles (though for Zimmermann that’s a relative term), but even two of the three finale dresses are paired with tonal lace catsuits. For more warmth, chunky cream ponchos and sweaters are après ski-ready, and the jacquard coats with fur trims would have Penny Lane foaming at the mouth.

Many of the designs get better the closer you look at them. Zimmermann creates a big—and immediately recognizable—effect. The special appliqués she decks each piece with, then, feel like both a love letter to the wearer, and something that even those who prefer a more pared-back aesthetic can appreciate. A mini dress with heart-shaped puff sleeves, a 3D trim running down those sleeves, and a patchwork print is a lot to look at. But do you see how cute those bee-shaped buttons down the bodice are? The evening wear especially is festooned with almost-hidden details. In the case of a champagne colored dress adorned with cascading stars, the stars almost conceal an embroidered zodiac print. You can imagine someone wearing it to a party and spending the entire night pointing out the specifics of her dress. Is it too much? Probably not on her.