Memo From Fashion Month: Off With Boring Bras

If you’re abreast with this season’s news in underwear (pardon the pun), you’ll know that boring bras were nowhere to be seen at the spring/summer 2023 shows. Shell bras inspired by The Little Mermaid took the place of conventional push-ups at Blumarine, triangle styles were realised in crystals at Burberry and Ludovic de Saint Sernin, and at Loewe, models’ modesty was covered with rubbery anthuriums – a motif that defined Jonathan Anderson’s new collection. 

Giuliano Calza, the creative director of GCDS, emblazoned crochet SpongeBob SquarePants pasties across the chest of his opening look. As for Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena? Their first-ever runway show featured a harness bra, which was decorated with bows and floral metal hardware, and a heavy-duty chainlink style worn beneath a silky blazer with one of their signature charm necklaces. 

Practicality clearly wasn’t the priority at the shows. The nipple bows seen on the catwalk at Acne Studios wouldn’t last an evening, but at least they looked sweet. (Approach with caution, as they’re a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen.)

There was also no denying that some collections overlooked women with bigger busts, given that many iterations were shown on sample-size models. Enter: Ester Manas. The forward-thinking designer showed in Paris this season and found a balance of sexy and sensible. Her confident body-diverse cast strode down the runway wearing visible bras that became a part of the overall look rather than a foundation or afterthought – held firmly in place with ruched dresses and tops. Evidence that bras can be fun without being fragile. 

Wherever you stand on the bra debate – to bra, or not to bra – this season’s iterations were far from conventional. The main message? Bras out, for all to see! Time to spice up your intimates drawer.