Whether chiffon, silk or tulle – this summer’s fashion likes it airy, playful and, above all, transparent. Classic, summery linen dresses are allowed to clear the hangers this year for a lot of lightness. At the fashion weeks in Milan, Paris, London and New York, transparency was one of the major trends in all spring and summer collections.
“Transparent fabrics are omnipresent this season. Dresses as well as skirts and tops now come with transparent chiffon fabric or mesh inserts. Blouses made of transparent materials are particularly in demand this spring and summer – regardless of whether they are in muted colors such as black or cream or in bright colors with floral prints,” writes the German “InStyle Magazin”. The British “Glamour Magazine” describes the textile trend as “sheer joy” (“pure joy”), the American “Vogue” as “pillow talk” (“pillow talk”).
“Act of cultural resistance”
Already last year, the transparent look attracted attention because of its freedom of movement. Actress Florence Pugh’s sheer gown caused quite a stir at the Valentino 2022 haute couture show. “Why are you so scared of boobs?” Pugh wrote in the caption of her Instagram post.
In its April issue, the US American “Vogue Magazine” describes the “Sheer trend” as an “act of cultural resistance to the puritanical restrictions of the government in relation to women’s bodies”, alluding to the abortion ban passed in 2022, among other things , which applies in about half of the 50 US states.
Looking for office-suitable variants
This year the trend seems to be a bit more subtle, but the question remains – as is so often the case in fashion – how the eye-catching catwalk outfits can be worn stylishly in everyday life. Not an impossibility, say the big designer brands: the right combinations are crucial. How these can look like was shown at the Milan Fashion Week.
See-through elements combined with classic tweed or wool, a transparent skirt worn over an opaque petticoat, panels of tulle or chiffon sewn between conventional denim and jersey fabrics – such and similar designs make the trend wearable in everyday life, say the fashion designers from Armani to Prada .
Fashion designer Victoria Beckham also relies on transparent fabrics and strong tones in her current spring/summer collection.
Knitwear also lets a lot of skin show through
Anyone who thinks they are playing it safe with a fashionable cardigan over a thin chiffon blouse is wrong this summer. Because the airy stitches in knitwear are about as big as the courage to go for fashionable transparency this year. Classic cable patterns are a thing of the past – this year the new knitted top can be net-like.
If, on the other hand, the stitches are knitted tighter, the thickness of the wool thread apparently decreases proportionally this season. The whole thing is fashionably called “sheer knits” (“transparent knitwear”). The soft knit is made so finely that it in turn has a transparent look.
This trend, which could already be found in some wardrobes last year, is continuing even more strongly this year. “Fashion designers are currently loving knitwear at any time of the year, and transparent fabrics have also been with us for quite some time. So why not combine the two?” asks the German “Glamour Magazin”.
Trend colors cobalt blue, pink and pastel
But fashion-conscious trendsetters are not only asked to have the courage to use materials this summer, but also to have the courage to use colour. Airy knitwear and fine tulle, worn in bright red, pink or cobalt blue are all the rage. If these are combined with restrained pastel shades such as lavender, beige or pink, the summer fashion of 2023 will also be easy to wear for less extroverted fashion lovers, according to the fashion magazine “InStyle”. The fashion world is slowly waking up from the gray years of the pandemic, especially in terms of color technology – this year will be colourful.
