More than influencers and celebrities, trends have been dictating in recent years tv series . Give teen dramas like Euphoria , which revived 90s style and technicolor make-up among Millennials and Generation Z to reboots such as And Just Like That , which revived viewers' love for the vintage , the small screen has taken the place of who the trendsetter should do it by profession. A situation that, recently, has also been repeated with the corset , sported in blockbuster titles such as Bridgerton And The Gilded Age .
Between high society and Grammy Award: the rise of the corset
Between flounces, lace and satin fabrics, the bustier has conquered fashion victims and the big fashion houses, even reaching Anna Wintour and the Met Gala , scheduled for May 2: the most important event of the year for the world of fashion and the jet set, in fact, will have as its theme the Gilded Glamour , a celebration of the taste of the American Golden Age, between 1870 and 1900. A period of rapid economic growth, during which women of high society used to wear long elegant dresses which, at the top, had skimpy corsets studded with precious and extravagant decorations.
With the arrival on streaming platforms of period dramas set in that period or a short time before, social networks such as TikTok have turned into the springboard for trends such as Regency core (which has managed to collect 32.9 million total views), revisiting garments and accessories with a retro flavor for the 21st century and the mainstream world. And here, from one moment to the next, even the red carpets of events such as i Grammys they filled with pop stars ready to show off modern versions of leather or rhinestone-encrusted bodices.
Corset, a revival that smacks of nostalgia and the search for a lost elegance
Even the numbers underline the success: the love for the sumptuous costumes worn by the actresses has translated into a frantic search for similar pieces on the part of the enthusiasts. As stated by the top management of Asos : this year alone, the site has sold, on average, three corsets per minute. However, setting aside the influence that television has exerted and continues to exert in the push of this aesthetic, for many it is still unclear why, in an age monopolized by technology, there has been a revival so tenacious to look decidedly not in line with the spirit of the time.
According to the Central Saint Martin professor Harriet Worsley , "is a celebration of glamor in all respects," he explained in an interview with Guardian , «a nostalgic return to a feminine charm with no expiration date. After two years spent in overalls or pajamas in the four walls of the house, people want to give free rein to their sensuality». A necessity perfectly enclosed in the transformation of Billie Eilish which, for the cover of Vogue , she ditched her baggy outfits for a refined ensemble pin up .
Towards a hybrid version of the corset
A perspective also confirmed by Patricia Maeda , director of trend forecasting agency Fashion Snoops. «I think that the Met Gala will take care of giving even more visibility to the corset», she underlined, «compared to other kermesses such as the Oscars or the Golden Globes, there it is concretely decided what is in and what is out, what deserves to get on the catwalks and what, instead, must remain at the bottom of the wardrobe». But that is not all. From a garment strictly linked to the size of outfits for glossy occasions, it seems that it could become an element to mix with blazers, jeans and casual clothes.
"Right now on Lyst, where searches have increased 85 percent in the past three months, the term 'corset' is still almost exclusively matched to terms related to the world of partywear," she added, "things, though , they are changing. New versions will arrive, in softer fabrics and more comfortable and flexible shapes, able to enhance the shapes without condemning to discomfort. Hybrid alternatives like that of Fendi which aims to mix the comfort of the t-shirt with the structure of the bustier, or jackets and overcoats which reproduce the details, ready to stand out in the new Dior and Versace collections».
The corset not only collects applause
Obviously, there was no shortage of criticism: the well-known influencer Bryanboy has railed against the return of this fashion, which would impose a superhuman effort on the wearer and several food waivers . For Maeda, it would be an excessively trenchant vision: «I don't think so. Instead, I believe that like many other times, also in this case fashion offers us a chance to distance ourselves, even if only for a short while, from the complicated reality we are living in».