It's Official: The 2000s Aesthetic Is Back This Fall

Free of sin and stain, the style of the princess of pop 'two thousand' returns like this by its privileges. A path also paved by the interested parties themselves, finally determined to take control of their images and, incidentally, their lives. Last May, Paris Hilton herself dismantled via Instagram reel one of her most vilified clothing episodes, the one with the T-shirt with the legend Stop Being Poor: a crude Photoshop montage that replaced the original Desperate in a paparazzi snapshot ('Let of being desperate', was actually read on the garment, belonging to the first Chick collection, her sister Nicky's brand) by the insulting Poor ('Stop being poor', a slogan with which it was intended to make an alleged derision-complaint of its very airy excesses). From there, searches for her proverbial look skyrocketed on The Lyst: leather tops (up 22%), heeled sandals (up 13%), micro bags (19%). In recent weeks, the global online fashion shopping platform has also shown a growing interest in similar pieces and even bling-bling accessories in the autumn collection searches. It will not be because there is no choice. “Dirtier, cheekier and sexier!” exclaims Nicola Brognono about her proposal at Blumarine. Calabrés, born in 1990, last year he was appointed creative director of the banner founded by Anna Molinari to subvert and renew her imprint of sappy romanticism. And, yes, he is a self-confessed fan of what he calls his “boyhood heroines”: the very low-waisted, tight-fitting, crystal-filled jeans are pure Britney; the short leather jackets in candy colors and the midriff bustiers, worthy of Xtina (Aguilera); the draped minidresses, an ode to Lindsay. Their heirs, today's Dua Lipa, Ariana Grande and Rihanna, have already placed their orders.

Straight from the nightclubs of West Hollywood comes Roberto Cavalli's fall/winter as well. The Italian firm is also undergoing commercial repositioning, with Fausto Puglisi at the controls, who does not hide the Californian inspiration of his strategy. Although it is not that we were not on notice: a year ago, Kim Kardashian was already exhibiting herself in the dress printed with the face of a tiger that Cindy Crawford wore on the catwalk in 2002; this June, she was seen wearing a 2004 leather bra and pant set, a sign that Cavalli is back in style. In short, clues appear everywhere, from the inclusive LaQuan Smith to Casey Cadwallader's millennial Mugler, from DSquared2 to Peter Dundas, from Chanel –those minis, those après-ski boots– to Tom Ford –revalidating his early Gucci erotica. 2000–, from Telfar collaborating with Ugg to Glenn Martens allying with Fila, from Anthony Vaccarello inevitably rocking Saint Laurent to Guram Gvasalia in the comeback Vetements. "I like fairy tales and financial stability," reads a pink T-shirt from the firm that Demna's brother now leads alone. “Being a rich girl is still aspirational,” reports Bruno Sialelli, 34, who runs Lanvin. In the introductory video for the season, Rich Girl, Gwen Stefani's anthem from 2004, plays while Paloma Elsesser and Sora Choi spread out in a luxury suite surrounded by bags from the French house. There, well of excess again. How will things be that there is even a rise in logomania, reviewed by Versace, Givenchy, Valentino, Gucci or Fendi (his baguette, possibly the first it bag of this millennium and one of Paris' favorites, is priced like never before). And bling-bling of crystals and metallics to give and take, what does it matter if it has been done during the day after the night of partying.

Of course: as much as the generational discourse of some creators who grew up under the influence of the pop cult of celebrity, in this autumn/winter 2021-22 season one must therefore read the pandemic fatigue and the desire to eat the street , socialize and give it your all on the dance floor. Yearning for maximum youth urgency to which Y2K nostalgia responds precisely. A resurgence that must also be understood not in terms of an exact recreation of the image of a specific era, but rather as an aesthetic pastiche that reflects our current needs. "At a time like this, we all look for joy where we can," says Brognano. Even Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons embrace opulence in the face of the situation. “It is an escalation of optimism”, they say of their joint collection, whose presentation ended with the models dancing techno (as in the men's version).

Prada has never been a pop princess label, but this installment could well be interpreted as its adult and conceptual version, in which catsuits, sequins and true stop nightclub. On the other hand, it is clear that more or less 'two thousand' these collections equally meet the parameters of comfort, functionality and sustainability established for current clothing. What they do not do, yes, is set a chair en bloc or pretend to transcend with uniformity. They are telling us the same thing to put ourselves under cover (see the display of cloaks and blankets, cocoon silhouettes and quilts, winter is coming, listen) to uncover ourselves frivolously (crop tops, boleros and boleros are also for the cold); that we submerge ourselves in black and that we explode with color; that we give the maxi, or the midi, or the mini, or the micro, that we dress with our heads or better that we go crazy. The only thing that remains clear is that fashion, as an industry, knows exactly where the money is today. And to whom and how should it be addressed to face its long-awaited economic recovery.