Miniskirt is back. And she’s more mini than ever.
Miniskirt is back. And she’s more mini than ever.

Artwork by Mariana Matos
Artwork by Mariana Matos
It can only be a sign of the times. What other reason could Chanel, Moschino, Missoni, Fen- dace, Blumarine, Bottega Veneta, Prada, Emporio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Versa- ce, Balmain, Alberta Ferretti, Dior, Lanvin, Emilio Pucci, Hermès and Miu Miu have (the list, which is not exhaustive, is deliberate, so that there's no doubt that, more than a trend, this is a concerted movement) to introduce, all of them, ultra-short miniskirts, aka “belts”, in their spring/summer 2022 collections? None. Because no one in their right mind, or at least no one who has survived the fashion horror that was the 2000s — and and we all know that, of the designers of the of the aforementioned brands, a good number of them went through this torment — wakes up in the morning and decides to bring back small pieces of fabric measuring eight inches cover a little bit of buttocks and slip, with effort, down the waist, on the way to the pelvic area. We conclude, therefore, that the fault lies in the moment we are living in, a sort of roaring twenties of the new millennium, an instant of post-pandemic madness. Sadie Frost, British actress and producer, director of Quant, a documentary about the legendary Mary Quant (known as the “creator of the miniskirt”, a title she should share, in the public consciousness, with Frenchman André Courrèges), put forward a theory to the Evening Standard newspaper: “Perhaps us coming out of the darkness and confinement of the pandemic could be regarded as similar to London emerging from its gloomy post-war hangover during the mini’s 1960s heyday?” Maybe. And obviously, it's impossible to feel sexy and empowered in the sweatpants we've worn for the past two years.
In short, the big trend of the season is “the shorter the better.” The micro mini is a hybrid of the styles of other eras, notably (you guessed it) the unsexy Y2K. Imagine the looks that catapulted Nicole Richie, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Mischa Barton into eternity and transport them to Olivia Rodrigo, Bella Hadid, Rihanna or Dua Lipa, who quickly succumbed to the fashion. Now, if these are all signs of the times, what was Miuccia Prada thinking when she invented that Miu Miu miniskirt, the one that has more magazine covers than many supermodels, the one that even has an Instagram account (@miumiuset)? Nobody knows. The only thing she said after the show was: “It’s so normal, but for me it’s so strange. Strange is not strange anymore.” Secrecy is the essence of business, and Mrs. Prada knows it. By now, there can't be a single human being who hasn't pondered whether it would be a good idea to turn up at the weekly office meeting wearing look 9, the one that allowed you to hear the breathing of the flies that were walking around the Palais d'Iéna last October. Of course, not everyone has to take a pair of scissors and cut, cut, cut. There are some (few) more polished renditions, like the ones seen at Max Mara, but the important thing to remember is that now miniskirts are not just worn by skinny girls with vertiginous legs. Just like in the last century, they are a symbol of self-affirmation and power, underlining the freedom of choice and femininity of all those who decide to wear them — from the thinnest to the plumpest, because they all deserve it. Yes, they are a sign of the times. And it's also the desire to return to a time when fashion was fun and carefree. It's nostalgia for a past that many associate with adolescence. It's the fascination of a new generation dazzled by archive images of stars like Christina Aguilera or Beyoncé. You need space to be sexy, argue insiders, who point the finger at the two years of cloistered life that have translated into a wardrobe that is (way) too comfortable. And if we thought the trick to wearing this trend was to balance proportions — little fabric on the bottom, more fabric on top — it's time to stop everything, because what we saw in many collections was just the opposite. Xtina would be proud.
Translated form the original on The Body Issue, from Vogue Portugal, published March 2022.Full stories and credits on the print issue.
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