A string of daring trends have succeeded the midriff-flossing antics of last summer.
Subtle skin reveals were seen at the autumn/winter 2021 shows, with sheer look-at-me dresses, cut-out peepholes and mini skirts out in full force. After a year plus of wearing sweats and PJs, and “skin reveals” out of the question, designers found alternative methods to express 2021’s new sexually charged dress code trends, without flashing the flesh.
How does one expose everything and yet, still, nothing at all? Oh yes, a catsuit.
Patterned high-neck versions reigned triumphant: Prada’s floral-patterned one-piece was layered over a second-skin, gloved top. Halpern presented a leopard-print style, paired with shimmering gold block-heels and at GCDS, a baby-blue cut-off unitard arrived alongside matching furry platforms.
Emilio Pucci’s gracious design team nodded to the eponymous founder’s roots, presenting all-encompassing zip-front bodysuits that paid homage to the very first piece that the Italian designed – a ski suit. It came in swirling Pucci prints, with a built-in hood, gloves, and closed trousers that covered wedged heels.
Fashion East rising star Maximilian Davis also appreciated the value of an integral hood, presenting his striking monochrome catsuit with a layered mini skirt, futuristic orange-tint goggles, and pointed stilettos as newest trends. Sadly, his latest Browns capsule collection is wthout bodysuit, but there are some fab, similarly flattering harlequin trousers on offer, as worn by Rihanna.
Over at Charlotte Knowles – who recently renamed her ’90s-inspired, It-girl-approved empire, KNWLS – catsuits were stringy and sexy, with innately chic, shearling-trim corsets on top. “Who doesn’t want to be a badass?” declared Tom Ford, who drew focus to the waist of his lace bodysuit (look 28) with cummerbund-like panel.
[BDCK category=3 Keywords=”CE-Caffe Latte Modern Home”][/BDCK]
Elsewhere, David Koma, Erdem, Emilia Wickstead, Christian Cowan and Saint Laurent had their respective takes on the catsuit trends: ranging from knitted and feasibly comfortable (Erdem); to office-appropriate-ish (Wickstead) and party-ready (Cowan).
The catsuit landscape is rich and there’s one particular designer who is deemed solely responsible for the upsurge trends.
Casey Cadwallader, the man behind the wondrous contemporary revival of Mugler – whose founder Thierry Mugler was creating all the rage catsuits trends, along with Azzedine Alaïa, in the ’90s – has been perfecting his take on the modern Mugler bodysuit since assuming the helm in 2017. “This bodysuit is the grand finale of my mesh journey,” he told British Vogue of the magnificent custom piece he crafted for Beyoncé’s December 2020 cover.
SEE ALSO: BILLIE EILISH’S ROLE IN THE RISE OF LOGOS FASHION TREND
[BDCK category=3 Keywords=”CE-New Products CL”][/BDCK]
