Why buy new clothes when you can borrow them from your beloved grandmother? Ready-to-wear brands are focusing on pieces that have not seen the light of day in several decades.
Crochet, cardigans, scarves, sleeveless sweaters – here are the vintage pieces to buy or borrow.
Crochet madness
The origins of crochet go back to the 19th century, but this do-it-yourself technique has made a comeback, giving life to recognisable fashion pieces.
There are endless tutorials on the internet for those who wish to create their own clothing – or simply head to the stores of major brands and fashion chains that offer a host of crochet pieces. Swimsuits, dresses, handbags, hats, pants, tops – everything is available, to the great happiness of vintage fans.
The biggest fashion icons from Gigi Hadid to Kylie Jenner have already embraced crochet, and pieces from major brands including Mango and Zara are finding fans around the world.
The numbers for crochet are dizzying. Instagram has more than 36 million posts on crochet, including fashion and home textiles, while the hashtag #crochet has accumulated 3.7 billion views on TikTok, while #crochettutorial has 159 million.
The sweater goes retro
A piece worn by previous generations is making a comeback – the sleeveless sweater. This classic preppy style was honoured on the catwalks of many major houses during physical and digital fashion shows for fall-winter this year, with several key variations.
While it is generally proposed in muted colours, the sleeveless sweater is a sensation in plain or printed versions, in classic knit or twisted, and even in a crop-top style.
The question is, how are you going to wear it? The possibilities are endless – alone, with a t-shirt or button-down, with pants or skirt, even as a mini-dress, with heels, sneakers or combat boots.
In the same vein, you can rely on the cardigan. Never really gone but not usually trendy, the timeless wool jacket with buttons is considered one of next season’s star pieces.
Heady scarves
The silk scarf has never disappeared from circulation, though the way of wearing it seems to differ greatly among the generations. The accessory is now worn on the head, hiding almost all of the hair – except for the bangs – and tied under the chin.
It is the ultimate in elegance as worn by Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Deneuve, or Audrey Hepburn in the 1960s.
Dior is one of the houses that have updated it for its fall-winter shows, notably in a leopard version, but it can also be found plain, or with abstract prints or even stripes.