Bold School.
The fashion-savvy among us may already recognise the recent love affair that couture has been having with the 1960s these past few seasons. Whether it be the sleek charm of an A-line mini dress or the drama of a sharp trench coat paired with Gogo boots, it is unsurprising that the world of fashion is still enchanted by the flair of the iconic decade. Mod-chic is back in and we, for one, are revelling in the vintage autumnal fashions which are making a resurgence.
Take Christian Dior’s Fall 2024 collection, shown in New York this past Spring. Lead designer Maria Grazia Chiuri was clearly inspired by the decade. In a recent interview she referenced Marc Bohan - creative director for House of Dior throughout the Sixties and the relationship the decade had on couture as women pushed for a bolder look that embodied the time period. Chiuri stated, “[Dior] had this relationship only with these couture clients - and women were changing. Not all the couture-house creative directors were so visionary to understand the new era, and new women.” This focus on the ‘New Woman’ seems fitting, as we champion the modern woman and explore how they strike a balance in everyday life.
The 1960s was a decade of great cultural importance especially in the world of feminism. Social change was felt throughout every corner of society, and not only in the form of protests but through fashion. Clothing was a popular way of establishing the new era of femininity which focused on women in the workforce, championed the civil rights movement and what was colloquially coined ‘The Second Wave’ of feminism. While many women kept their style classy throughout the decade (take Jackie Kennedy’s fondness of a Chanel two piece) others were empowered by shorter skirts, longer hair, and makeup that was bolder than it had ever been before. It is most likely non-coincidental that Chiuri played with a ‘Miss Dior’ theme for the recent Fall collection. Her use of a blown-up archival logo, once used to advertise the discontinued Miss Dior boutique from 1967, only exacerbates the importance of the Sixties during this new iconic period in women’s fashion.
Another designer currently exploring the swinging style of the 1960s was Virgine Viard for Chanel Pre-Fall 2024. The colourful collection featured a decade-defining classic - the tweed power suit. A-line shapes, baker boy hats and brooches were also featured, all of which call back to womenswear trends of the time. The looks seem to pay homage to the contemporary women of the era. Icons like Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Fonda and of course Jackie Kennedy all sported Chanel tweed two-pieces constantly throughout the decade.
Moving away from haute couture, another way this trend has manifested itself has been through the rapidly emerging it-girl of now, Sabrina Carpenter. The blonde bombshell, reminiscent of a 1960s barbie doll, has been releasing music for a decade, yet only now in her womanhood is she finally experiencing her rightful fame for latest singles ‘Espresso’ and ‘Please Please Please’. While this recognition is deserved, even more thrilling is the costumes she’s been sporting on the stage. The star frequents Ukrainian-based designer brand FROLOV, and arguably is single-handedly bringing the trends of the Sixties to the attention of Gen-Zers across the world. She has taken the aforementioned white leather Gogos and revived them with a modern spirit, predominantly by adding an oversized block heel. Her taking the decade-long classic of a tweed skirt and shortening it to a daring length represents the many ways that this new generation of women renew vintage fashions to suit their personal taste and modern trends.
Perhaps the most crucial accessory when it comes to one’s clothing is not a bag nor a shoe - it’s always going to be makeup. Not only are modern day women’s clothing honouring the swing and shimmy of the Sixties decade but so are their rosy cheeked faces. Pops of pastels, thick winged liner and high-point blush is something we’ve also seen on countless runways recently, from Armani Privé to Chanel to Gucci. To get the classic Sixties makeup look, youth are looking back to the icons of the time, from Twiggy to Bardot. You can see the accentuated lower lashline, nude lips, and thinned out eyebrows appearing on the faces of contemporary women in every major city. Hailey Bieber’s viral skincare brand Rhode Beauty is the current ringleader of this trend, with their lip balms or ‘peptides’ selling out across the globe at astonishing rates. Good luck securing her natural lip tint, as it is now a defining beauty trend for the modern woman.
The 1960s are sure to be a staple of the Autumn looks this year, as women lean into the flair of a dark eye or the fun of a colourful mini skirt. So many young people now sigh as they declare how they were born in the wrong decade, but find a way to channel it still as they style themselves. As The Beach Boys state in their 1966 album Pet Sounds, ‘wouldn’t it be nice if we were older?’, and in this sense, perhaps. We for one would delight to experience the fashions of decades past. Lucky for us, the rebirth of the 1960s is alive and well.