Fashion Week 2024 Historical Inspirations

Today touches on a subject I can never get enough of: Fashion history. And about that- I’m pretty sure fashion history buffs everywhere were pretty stunned by some of this year’s Fashion Week runway shows- I certainly was! I was especially blown away by the beautiful interpretations taken from historical references. Here’s my short analysis of Fashion Week 2024 historical inspiration…

Historical Inspiration 1

Something about a good sleeve just makes fashion keep on bringing it back- this was the case for the gigot sleeve (leg-of mutton) for historical inspiration. Highly fashionable between 1830 – 1890- but also in the 15th and 16th century, the gigot sleeve has had its share of impact . And this year it was everywhere! Three designer creations particularly grabbed my attention; Jean Paul Gauthier, Jacquemus, and Schiaparelli.

Here are some historical looks with a closer look at the gigot sleeve.

Here are some options for the leg of mutton that I picked for you:

Historical Inspiration 2

The next historical inspiration reference that just thrilled me to bits (yes I’m nerdy in that way)- was the ‘Robe de style’ inspiration! I just loved how this dress was brought into the spotlight. The Robe de style is typical of the 1920’s- but I know what you’re going to say…The 1920’s are known for the Flapper style dress! Indeed. However, the Robe de style was also very popular throughout the 20’s. Contrary to the Flapper dress which was more of a straight androgynous cut, the Robe de style was more voluminous at the hips- making it a more forgiving evening dress. Let’s look at some of the historical beauties of the 1920’s:

Compare the above Robe de style with its 18th c predecessor: Robe panier (dress/side baskets), with distinctly more pronounced and elevated sides.

The Robe de style is not one to make its way on the runways- at least it hasn’t for the longest time. So imagine my delight when I saw it make its inspirational appearance on the runway! Simone Rochas for Jean Paul Gauthier was brilliant:

Here are some fun picks I made for you that fall into the Robe de style inspiration:

Historical Inspiration 3

And then… John Galliano’s collection for Maison Margiela was absolutely breathtaking. His collections brought back the theatrical and the dreamy of a world that once was- his inspirations were mostly from the 30’s. It was reminiscent of Hollywood glamour in all of its glory.

Take a look at his dreamy looks.

But that’s not all I saw in this collection. I felt there was also a Gibson Girl theme going on. Looking at the dishevelled hair and dreamy bedroom eyes, the mood gave the feel for that era. The clothes also gave me Gibson vibes with their boudoir sexiness and S silhouette. So it felt Edwardian as well. Compare:

And I thought these lovelies are straight out of a 30’s inspired theme- but also some Gibson vibes as well:

Artistic Inspiration

Lastly, the makeup in this Margiela show was artistic and unique- pure genius by Pat McGrath. The glass glow made the models look surreal like live porcelain dolls. This look added to the mystery of the show and the ghost like feel of a time in the past. I’m sure this look has makeup artists everywhere wondering about the process. It also made me think…is this a trend that’s coming our way? Makeup and cosmetic procedures that help to reshape and re-fill – will skin glazing become the new cosmetic norm? Time will tell- but for now this porcelain doll look made for an over-the-top, extraordinarily glamorous new dimension.

And of course- with all this historical inspo, you just know I had to style up my own interpretation. Here’s my gigot sleeve:

If you’d like to read more on historical fashion- I’ve written a few posts on this which you can check out HERE, and HERE, and HERE.

I’d love for you to share which shows captured your attention? What historical inspirations did you see in the collections? Meet me in the comments.

Lucy xx