Lately, it seems like everybody’s ditching their bottom and the pantless trend is in full bloom! So Ladies, leave your pants at home because celebrities and designers have officially declared the pantless trend is the season's most coveted look.
The pantless or the no-pant trend may have seemed like a bizarre idea in the first half of 2023, but fast forward to the Summer of 2024 and it is all THE RAGE. Initially sported by Hollywood stars like Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner, last year, the pantless trend is daring, bold and definitely not for the faint-hearted. Since then it has become a huge breakthrough trend in the fashion industry with luxury brands incorporating pantless looks in their runway shows. Be it on the streets, red carpets or the runway, the pantless trend has sparked discussion and is one of the strongest trends ruling the fashion world right now. While we’ve been tracking the trend for several months, it's finally catching on, and the recently concluded Lakmē Fashion Week X FDCI is proving its impact even in the Indian market.
L-R Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber, Kylie Jenner
The pantless trend dates back to the 1950s-80s when it was used as dancewear and sportswear for women. Dancers wore leotards over their tights to create long and proper posture. But sometimes, they would layer with shirts or sweaters, often belt it for a sharp waistline. In the latter half of the 80s, the look picked back up as activewear for aerobics and high-cut leotards with belts were all the rage in the athletic scene. However, it was in the '90s that the pantless look made its way onto the runway of Chanel, Miu Miu, Dior Alexander McQueen, and Jean Paul Gaultier.
Getty Images: The Pantless Trend for dancer and the Chanel runway
Over the years, the pantless trend saw various iterations. In 2014, Miley Cyrus's look at the Billboard Music Awards was eye-catching, she styled a white Jean Paul Gaultier blazer and capped off her look with an exciting pair of heels in black and white stripes. Soon the trend started to gain popularity with oversized jackets, sweatshirts and blazers being grabbed by celebs for creating this no-pants illusion.
Owing to the cyclic nature of fashion trends, it came as no surprise that the trend re-emerged on the runway in 2022. For their Spring/Summer 2023 collections, Bottega Veneta, Valentino, Victoria Beckham, and Raf Simmons incorporated pantless silhouettes creating a major buzz. This was later seen during the Fall/Winter 2023 collections by Maison Margiela, La Quan Smith. But Mui Mui's embellished panties became highly talked-about hence the trend has picked up.
Miu Miu embellished underwear
At Paris Fashion Week, Kylie Jenner blurred the line between underwear and outerwear even further in head-to-toe Loewe with a long gray coat thrown on top. But the most recent ensemble by Margot Robbie at the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party is one to further strengthen its hold. Robbie wore an embellished gold structured corset from Thierry Mugler’s Spring/Summer 1996 vintage collection which was studded with jewels and sequins. She opted for no accessories and let her dress do all the talking for the night.
And now, with the likes of international brands Prada, and Chanel and Indian brands like Anamika Khanna, Rahul Mishra, deme Couture, Esse at Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI and Shantnu and Nikhil sending intentionally half-dressed models down the catwalk in statement leotards, sheer tights and bare legs, it seems pants may be headed for mass extinction.
L-R Deme, Esse, Shantanu And Nikhil
From Emma Corrin's Miu Miu embellished underwear to Kristen Stewart's iconic look in Love Lies Bleeding the pantless trend this season ranges from bold iterations to conservative ones closer to home. But the fact is, that in the days to come the pantless trend is here to stay!