On Monday, Kendall Jenner made a striking appearance on the L’Oréal Paris womenswear runway in a stunning scarlet Mugler gown that may have felt familiar to fashion aficionados. The dress featured a daring slash across her right shoulder, revealing a matching denier bra underneath. This bold peekaboo moment echoed a memorable look from 1999: Lil’ Kim’s iconic purple embellished jumpsuit at the VMAs.
Kim’s ensemble famously showcased her left breast, with an asymmetrical cut that mirrored the neckline of Jenner’s gown—save for a coordinating purple nipple pasty. Jenner’s look pays homage to this fashion-forward moment while firmly establishing her own statement in the realm of stylish daring.
The Mugler look resembled another fashion history moment from the 1999.
Jenner’s look harked back to Lil’ Kim’s asymmetric jumpsuit at the VMAs Mitchell Gerber/Corbis/VCG/Getty Images
Jenner’s Mugler moment is just the latest instance in the resurgence of the underwear-as-outerwear trend. At the Nensi Dojaka runway show in London earlier this month, boxy blazers were casually draped over strappy bras, while sheer paneled bustiers were styled with capri trousers, transforming them into chic going-out tops. At Erdem, brasseries were left exposed, marking a bold departure for a brand favored by both British acting royalty, like Kristen Scott Thomas, and actual royalty, such as the Duchess of Cambridge. Dolce & Gabbana also embraced this trend at Milan Fashion Week, showcasing satin corsets, garter belts, and Madonna-esque cone bras. Florence Pugh made headlines in one of the label’s daring designs for her British Vogue cover, where a puff-shouldered black dress featured a neckline that dipped just above her belly button, framing her bra.
But this trend isn’t limited to the runway. During her “Short n’ Sweet” tour kickoff, singer Sabrina Carpenter wowed the audience in a custom Victoria’s Secret bodysuit adorned with over 150,000 crystals. This strapless, pink lace-trimmed leotard took more than 140 hours to create. Meanwhile, YouTube star and singer Jojo Siwa turned heads in a playful twist on the trend, wearing a bedazzled codpiece for a striking cover shoot with LadyGunn magazine, paying homage to the 15th-century undergarment style with flesh-toned gemstones.
Nensi Dojaka showed a mixture of bras and blazers.
Madonna-inspired lingerie was everywhere at Dolce & Gabbana.
While it might seem like A-listers are playing a high-stakes game of strip poker, the trend of wearing unmentionables as outerwear is far from new. Marie Antoinette was a trailblazer in this daring fashion choice, famously posing for a portrait in a white muslin chemise-like gown—essentially her underwear—back in 1783. The style gained significant traction in the 1980s, thanks to runway shows by Anna Sui, who reimagined the babydoll slip dress from 1950s loungewear to ‘80s party attire, and Jean-Paul Gaultier, who introduced his iconic cone bra.
Kendall Jenner has already established herself as a frontrunner in the underwear-as-ready-to-wear movement, opting for tights instead of trousers in 2022. As this trend continues to gain traction, it’s exciting to imagine what she might reveal next.
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