RETURN OF THE ’70s SUMMER: PSYCHEDELIA AND CROCHET
DENIZ AKKAYA
With the weather warming, it’s time to take our lightest pieces and most importantly our swimsuits off the dusty shelves. With the effect of the pandemic waning, it’s time to wear everything we haven’t been able to wear in the past year and a half!
It may be summer from the seasons, but it seems that crochet has no intention of leaving our lives with the winter months. The once-quirky hobby has become one of this year’s most trending pieces, taking over social media and runways.
The Pucci print introduced by the Italian designer Emilio Pucci in the 60s is naturally seen in every piece you can think of this season. Known as the” Prince of prints,” and his namesake brand quickly became famous for the abstract shapes and ever-changing colors seen in silk designs. Psyhedelic prints, fringes, bell sleeves – everything about ’70s fashion trends speaks to a generation’s need to express themselves louder and more vividly than ever before. After the turbulent 60s, fashion icons, brands and consumers called Me Decade moved away from established norms, embracing eclectic, folkloric and gender-neutral pieces to bring a visual identity to the rebellious spirit of the time. Now we are going through a very similar period; Through “revenge shopping” we free ourselves from the restrictions of the pandemic and find a sense of freedom through fashion.
Influenced by the personalities and styles that Gen Z fearlessly reflecs on TikTok, we are seeing a resurgence of iconic 70s looks in everything from street wear to swimwear as celebrities such as Bella Hadid embrace this summer’s optimism in their outfits.
We saw the reflections of the spirit of Gen Z in the colorful, psychedelic and calidescopic patterned pieces in the 2021 Spring / Summer collections of brands such as Raf Simons, Tom Ford and Gabriela Hearst with the influence of the 70s. This latest resurgence of ’70s curvy lines and bursts of color that has taken over not only the high fashion space but also social media has made itself evident in this season’s swimwear.
