Myths about sea creatures that are a hybrid of a woman’s body and a fish have existed for many centuries. In 1837 the fairy tale The Little Mermaid was published by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story became so popular that in 1909 the Danish government dedicated a bronze statue to her in the capital, Copenhagen. But how did the mermaid become fashionable?
The fascination for the woman of the sea is also evident in the 1984 film “Splash”. This tells the story of a mermaid and a man who fall in love. Starring Darryl Hannah, the film became one of the most popular Hollywood films of the late twentieth century. The “Mermaide Parade” in the US coastal town of Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York, is also celebrating its anniversary this year. For 40 years, people have dressed up as sea creatures in the massive art parade. Some of the participants even work as professional mermaids and men, as shown in the current documentary “Merpeople” on Netflix, offering fashion some inspiration.
Disney’s “Ariel”
The remake of the Disney classic “Arielle” in particular is currently having a major impact on the fashion industry, especially in the 20 to 30 age group. “Once only a niche subculture of style, ‘Mermaidcore’ is about emulating the mythical sea creatures,” writes US magazine Teen Vogue.
#mermaidcore – the numbers speak for themselves
Google searches for “mermaid style” have increased by 736 percent recently. Pinterest also saw a 614 percent increase in searches for “mermaidcore.” The hashtag has already reached over 333 million views on TikTok.
Mermaidcore in retail
According to media platform Mashable, jewel-toned fabrics and crocheted skirts are the dominant elements of the trend. They are rounded off with pearl earrings and sequined blouses reminiscent of fish scales. There is also a color palette with shimmering blue tones, full skirts and jewelry studded with shells.
On the catwalks
Post-pandemic, many designers have grappled with this aesthetic on the runway. Donatella Versace kicked things off in her SS21 collection, where she showed dresses printed with shells and starfish. The Georgian designer David Koma was also inspired by the mythical creatures. “I had a vision of an underwater world with colorful sea creatures illuminating the darkness,” he said of his SS23 collection.
Nicolas Ghesquière, the creative director of Louis Vuitton, presented the fashion house’s resort collection this year on a small island in Italy. Inspired by the surrounding lakes, he paired wetsuits with lush robes and sequined skirts with navy jackets. The baroque-style headgear was specially made for the show by a workshop in Rome.
The Mermaidcore trend encompasses a variety of styles, fabrics and colors. FashionUnited shows eight designers who caused a stir with their interpretation of the trend.
Versace SS21
Donatella Versace showed off a three tone starfish crop top and matching mini skirt. Another eye-catcher on the runway was a satin and sequin shell-like bra paired with a printed ruffled mini skirt.
Alberta Ferretti SS22
Italian fashion house Alberta Ferretti embraced the trend in the SS22 collection, showing a floor-length dress and blouse-mini skirt combo with sequins in shimmering shades of blue and green.
Joseph Altuzarra FW22
The designer Joseph Altuzarra also used sequins in his designs. He presented floor-length dresses made of copper and gold sequins in different sizes.
David Coma SS23
Georgian designer David Koma showed low-slung jeans and a shell necklace as a top. In another outfit, he paired a shiny sequined skirt with a feather hem in a fishtail silhouette with a sporty blouson jacket.
In addition, Koma showed a long-sleeved, printed tunic with a turtleneck. A cut-out at one shoulder is adorned with silver shells. The model wore shimmering, shiny metallic overknee boots made of leather with a crocodile look to match.
Valentino Haute Couture SS23
For the haute couture collection, the fashion house Valentino showed a short, fitted mini dress with oversized metallic green and blue sequins. The dress was paired with green leather gloves and white pumps.
Bronx and Banco FW23
The Australian label Bronx and Banco relies on clothes that are reminiscent of fishing nets. The brand presented an asymmetrical mesh dress with rhinestone embellishments and a matching headdress and a halter dress with long fringes at the neckline.
Diesel Resort 24
Italian brand Diesel opted for a cami top and midi skirt made from denim in a dazzling palette of pink, turquoise and gold.
Louis Vuitton Resort 24
French fashion house Louis Vuittons showed different combinations of skirts and jackets. Among other things, a printed neoprene jacket with flared sleeves and a distinctive collar reminiscent of a fin was on display. Skirts trimmed with sequins met tailored jackets with buttons. The looks were rounded off by elaborate headdresses with feathers and sneakers.
This translated post previously appeared on FashionUnited.uk. Translation and editing: Pia Schulz