Fashion Week
Designer Bras Were All Over The Runways At New York Fashion Week
Boudoir chic.
Behold, a new style decree. Per New York Fashion Week, bras, typically relegated to functional use, are this season’s must-have outerwear item. The undergarment has taken on a new stylish status, appearing on a shocking number of designer’s runways, each offering their own takes on the brassiere. And spoiler alert: they’re all spicy.
It really shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Stars like Dua Lipa, Emily Ratajkowski, and Rihanna have been trading actual shirts for designer bras for months. (Lipa, for example, has donned multiple monogrammed, sheer, Gucci bras as tops). Even Sydney Sweeney and Scarlett Johansson rocked the exposed bra style, in dresses with built-in faux bra straps. Now, with more designers embracing the trend, expect even more A-list celebs and style savants to rock lingerie-forward looks in the months to come.
Last season, a number of sheer ensembles traipsed the runways. But bras mostly took a backseat, serving as mere undergarments for designers who didn’t free the nipple. This season, however, even when peering through diaphanous fabrics, the bra felt a lot more intentional. At 3.1 Phillip Lim, for instance, the choice of triangular brassiere, when styled underneath an utterly see-through gown, felt like a statement.
Lim also styled visible bras under strategically buttoned tops and jackets. The utterly sophisticated styling technique ensured the boudoir items were perfectly coordinated with the rest of their ‘fits.
Meanwhile, at Christian Siriano, the bra — in its purest form, took center stage. A model strutted down the runway in a strapless black brassiere paired with a pink tutu à la Carrie Bradshaw and a Y2K-era bolero. The models who weren’t donning mere bras wore them outside of their shirts, turning them into the focal point of the look.
At Priscavera and Palomo Spain, bras in contrasting hues and prints jutted out of tops and dresses. It was reminiscent of the chaotic styling of the early aughts. But instead of exposing bras and straps under “going out tops” and flared jeans, they were paired with sleek column dresses.
On even more runways, the bra was given absolute luxe treatment. Whether embellished, embroidered, or bedazzled, the bra served as the most decadent of slinky tops. PatBO embellished bras with pearls, Kim Shui enveloped them in sequins, and Wiederhoeft decorated them with crystals.
The bra may have been around since the early 1900s, but if you ask me, it has never looked this good.
