mermaidcore: making waves this spring
By Kylie Sabo
From coral dresses to inflatable dolphins, designers are making a splash this season.
An exciting product of the spring 2023 ready-to-wear season, the motif of aquatic sirens and nautical elements should be expected to become part of your world this spring. Mermaidcore, as the trend has been affectionately dubbed, embodies a captivating multitude of colors, textures and silhouettes that contribute to its narrative of mystery and playfulness.
Across mythology, mermaids serve as an oxymoron. The captivating creatures simultaneously represent the life force of the sea and the peril it possesses. Used as an icon in fashion, mermaids symbolize intoxicating beauty. From scaly, dramatic textures to mystic, watery hues, the symbol of the aquatic siren makes for a compelling muse for designers.
With the increasing use of texture on the runway, the sea holds a trove of possibilities for unique textures. Designers have drawn inspiration from the spiky abstractions of coral, the delicate details of seashells and the smooth contours of ocean waves.
On the runway, the Courréges spring show demonstrated an understanding of aquatic duality with rough textures and delicate silhouettes. Inspired by “morning-after-beach-rave-vibes,” Nicolas Di Felice set the scene with a ring of sand serving as the runway. Di Felice presented a series of naiad dresses, the most notable of which was a coral dress made of silicon. Paired with the smoothness of leather and scuba knit, the show gave the essence of fluidity.
Color trends also reflect sea-faring shades. In their fashion color trend report for New York Fashion Week SS23, Pantone presents a variety of shades highlighting a sense of play. The palette includes ten shades total, four of which exist in the blue-green range. From the exotic green “Love Bird” to the tranquil blue “Summer Song,” the hues are reminiscent of seaweed and water.
In the realm of luxury knitwear, designer Giuliana Leila Raggiani of giu giu combines texture and color to achieve a French-inspired beach look. “Le Surf Short” features a water-repellant yarn used to create a scuba knit. For her SS23 collection “La Force Vitale,” Raggiani introduces a new colorway “piscine,” a sky blue shade akin to warm seas and playful creatures.
From dolphins to jellyfish, ocean inhabitants have found their way into various shows across the board. The newer label, BOTTER, has a history of using the sea in their shows. Their debut collection “Fish or Fight” featured inflatable toys and netting, emphasizing the art of story-telling in fashion. In their most recent collection, designers Lisi Herrebrugh and Rushemy Botter extended their homage to the sea with a Caribbean Couture collection featuring recycled ocean plastic and a tropical fish-patterned dress.
More sea creatures can be spotted on JW Anderson’s dolphin print short unitard and Moschino's school of inflatable toys that swam the runway. With undulating trims and fabric that added an element of movement to the garments, Susan Fang and Tia Adeola created dresses that resemble the hypnotic tentacles of a jellyfish.
The simple joy conveyed by these elements creates a story reminiscent of cheerful sea creatures befriended by an inquisitive mermaid. As such, a discussion of mermaidcore cannot be complete without an allusion to Halle Bailey and The Little Mermaid. With the trailer having been released during fashion month, designers could lean further into their nautical motifs as talk of mermaids circulated the internet.
The culmination of fashion and film cannot fully be realized until the release of the movie, which is scheduled for May 2023. Coincidentally timed with the commercial release of spring collections, the look of the aquatic siren has future potential to grow even further. With the A-list stacked cast of the movie, the anticipated success will likely fuel its own sub-trends more closely tied to popular culture and wearable looks.
Of the more wearable looks, maxi skirts and micro bra tops are making waves on and off the runway. The simultaneous popularity of these styles represents an all-or-nothing mindset, with lengthy fabrics that sweep the floor and tiny tops that bare it all. Both trends are consumer-friendly and can already be seen hitting retail spaces and entering the realm of daily wear.
The ocean in its entirety is complex and subjective and, as such, provides a vessel of inspiration. With a spectrum of possibilities, designers and fashion enthusiasts have drawn upon mermaids and the sea to create novel looks and styles. As new trends ebb and flow, the theme of nautical sirens makes a lasting statement bound by the fluidity of fashion.
An exciting product of the spring 2023 ready-to-wear season, the motif of aquatic sirens and nautical elements should be expected to become part of your world this spring. Mermaidcore, as the trend has been affectionately dubbed, embodies a captivating multitude of colors, textures and silhouettes that contribute to its narrative of mystery and playfulness.
Across mythology, mermaids serve as an oxymoron. The captivating creatures simultaneously represent the life force of the sea and the peril it possesses. Used as an icon in fashion, mermaids symbolize intoxicating beauty. From scaly, dramatic textures to mystic, watery hues, the symbol of the aquatic siren makes for a compelling muse for designers.
With the increasing use of texture on the runway, the sea holds a trove of possibilities for unique textures. Designers have drawn inspiration from the spiky abstractions of coral, the delicate details of seashells and the smooth contours of ocean waves.
On the runway, the Courréges spring show demonstrated an understanding of aquatic duality with rough textures and delicate silhouettes. Inspired by “morning-after-beach-rave-vibes,” Nicolas Di Felice set the scene with a ring of sand serving as the runway. Di Felice presented a series of naiad dresses, the most notable of which was a coral dress made of silicon. Paired with the smoothness of leather and scuba knit, the show gave the essence of fluidity.
Color trends also reflect sea-faring shades. In their fashion color trend report for New York Fashion Week SS23, Pantone presents a variety of shades highlighting a sense of play. The palette includes ten shades total, four of which exist in the blue-green range. From the exotic green “Love Bird” to the tranquil blue “Summer Song,” the hues are reminiscent of seaweed and water.
In the realm of luxury knitwear, designer Giuliana Leila Raggiani of giu giu combines texture and color to achieve a French-inspired beach look. “Le Surf Short” features a water-repellant yarn used to create a scuba knit. For her SS23 collection “La Force Vitale,” Raggiani introduces a new colorway “piscine,” a sky blue shade akin to warm seas and playful creatures.
From dolphins to jellyfish, ocean inhabitants have found their way into various shows across the board. The newer label, BOTTER, has a history of using the sea in their shows. Their debut collection “Fish or Fight” featured inflatable toys and netting, emphasizing the art of story-telling in fashion. In their most recent collection, designers Lisi Herrebrugh and Rushemy Botter extended their homage to the sea with a Caribbean Couture collection featuring recycled ocean plastic and a tropical fish-patterned dress.
More sea creatures can be spotted on JW Anderson’s dolphin print short unitard and Moschino's school of inflatable toys that swam the runway. With undulating trims and fabric that added an element of movement to the garments, Susan Fang and Tia Adeola created dresses that resemble the hypnotic tentacles of a jellyfish.
The simple joy conveyed by these elements creates a story reminiscent of cheerful sea creatures befriended by an inquisitive mermaid. As such, a discussion of mermaidcore cannot be complete without an allusion to Halle Bailey and The Little Mermaid. With the trailer having been released during fashion month, designers could lean further into their nautical motifs as talk of mermaids circulated the internet.
The culmination of fashion and film cannot fully be realized until the release of the movie, which is scheduled for May 2023. Coincidentally timed with the commercial release of spring collections, the look of the aquatic siren has future potential to grow even further. With the A-list stacked cast of the movie, the anticipated success will likely fuel its own sub-trends more closely tied to popular culture and wearable looks.
Of the more wearable looks, maxi skirts and micro bra tops are making waves on and off the runway. The simultaneous popularity of these styles represents an all-or-nothing mindset, with lengthy fabrics that sweep the floor and tiny tops that bare it all. Both trends are consumer-friendly and can already be seen hitting retail spaces and entering the realm of daily wear.
The ocean in its entirety is complex and subjective and, as such, provides a vessel of inspiration. With a spectrum of possibilities, designers and fashion enthusiasts have drawn upon mermaids and the sea to create novel looks and styles. As new trends ebb and flow, the theme of nautical sirens makes a lasting statement bound by the fluidity of fashion.