5 Best Print Trends for Men

Words by Erin, Digital Design Media Manager

If you need a new paddling pool to dip your design toe, the SS22 Menswear shows offer a refreshing new place to swim.

Yes, granted, SS22 served up a lot of the looks we’ve come to expect of men's fashion (hello camo and palms), there were a number of newer trends that got us itching to get to work.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: ATM Magazine; Zara;  Wataru Tominaga

Example 1: Snapshot

A nod to the nineties vintage look we already know and love, but with a point a difference.  It says vaycay, easy-breezy yet cool. “Photo collages remind us of better times,” Bec says, so there's that sense of nostalgia there, too.

How to design the look:
We are particularly drawn to this Snapshot trend because it is amazingly simple to design for. Plunder your old family travel photos, or go out and take some scenic snaps. Apply a filter or two (we’d recommend Posterize or Soft light or just about anything that gives you a vintage, low-fi effect). Then voila! You have a fab set of elements ready to pop into a design.  Arrange them in either an ordered or random fashion. Just do what feels best.

 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Stella McCartney; Pronounce; Marni

Example 2: Retro

It’s a bit nineties, it’s a bit seventies, it’s a lot retro. We like to think of it as That 70’s Show's wardrobe department. It’s the late 90’s take on seventies and it heros this one particular geometric pattern.

How to:
This punchy, graphic style looks a bit harder to design than it really is. Sometimes getting the simplest print to have some oomph is the hardest.
You can simply create a single shape and duplicate it or duplicate and warp it. Just stick to two colours here for maximum impact.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Hermes;  Mark Fast; ASOS

Example 3: Cut Out

As the name suggests, this trend is all about flat shapes and silhouettes. It’s kind of vibe'ing off of the Matisse trend that's appeared everywhere from fashion to homewares, but with more complex and unexpected shapes.

How to:
For a great tutorial on how to create a cut out design, check out this 2 Min Tute.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Etro; Moncler; Mr Porter

Example 4: Placed

Okay, this trend is not even nearly new. This technique of placing motifs in a gridded, ordered design is as old as the hills. But it made a big reappearance this season across bandana, ethnic medallions and retro 60’s styles, so our Creative Director has taken note. Make sure you do, too!

How to: Because a placed design can take a range of forms, there are many answers to this question! Start with our blog posts on creating borders and paisley bandanas here and here.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: MGSM; John Elliot; Dries VanNoten; MGSM

Example 5: Blotched

This trend encapsulates all the paint splatters and bleed effects plus a newer one: splashes with a digitized effect. In terms of the colour palette, you have a choice of using either “hyper-colouration or classic blues,” to be on-trend for this particular season, Bec says.

How to:
This is an especially fun one and anyone can chuck around a bit of paint. Just keep the number of colours to a minimum. “Prints only consist of one to five colours, max,” Bec says.

You might also be interested in:

Menswear: How to Design for The Make Customer
The 4 Most Important Vintage Textile Trends for 2021 and Beyond10 Fresh Palettes for Retro Florals