We saw it in London (and New York and Milan), and we’ll probably see it in France — for the Spring/Summer 2027 season, designers are really into showing off underpants…particularly colorful ones.
While the concept of naked dressing is nothing new or groundbreaking, the vast majority of those celeb red carpet or night-on-the-town moments have been aided by plain black or nude underwear, usually with the goal of making the body or the sheer layer on top the focal point of the look. This season, designers are pushing back against that theme and encouraging us to not just show off some statement lingerie, but to also make it our ensembles’ centerpiece.
New York was first to jump on board, specifically spotlighting vibrant triangle bralettes. At Aknvas, bras peeked out from under floor-length lace gowns, and at Carolina Herrera, they were paired with a matching cardigan in the same diamond knit design. Christian Cowan and 7 For All Mankind followed suit, showing off bright purple garter belt-stockings-combos and sexy neon lace bralettes through a top with a plunging midriff-reaching neckline, respectively. Wes Gordon, creative director at Herrera, told TZR backstage that his approach to the more youthful styling choice was about “playfulness and joy,” describing the Carolina girl as the one “in the middle of a party.”
But having visible undergarments in an outfit doesn’t always have to mean looking like the center-of-attention party girl (although there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that). Other designers — such as Anna Sui — took a more casual approach to the trend, layering satin balconette bras over long-sleeve opaque tops, making for an ultra-high-contrast (and fully covered-up) look. However, Sui also leaned into the nakedness, showing off a gauzy lilac and satin eggplant two-tone lingerie set under a completely see-through black polka dot maxi dress.
What felt most exciting about the latter Sui look as it walked down the runway, was that it didn’t feel even remotely male gaze-y (as Sui’s designs never do, to be fair). Instead, the act of flaunting the vibrant underwear beneath the frilly top layer felt like the result of a silly, fun, feminine game of dress-up at a sleepover with friends — and that innocent, simple amusement that comes from pairing pretty mismatched pieces together without a firm intention is one of the best parts of this overall exposing trend.
That same idea carried over across the pond in London, where Simone Rocha dressed a model in bright cherry red hipsters and placed a sequin-embroidered black tulle mermaid gown over top. It just goes to show, you can be a bit cheeky without actually showing that much cheek.
Chopova Lowena had a similar approach, showcasing a black bra-and-undies set covered in red-and-purple floral embroidery, with the bottoms’ waistline teasingly peeking out above a ruffle-tiered pair of knee-length bloomers. Susan Fang brought things back full circle to New York’s taste, displaying sportier triangle bra and high-waisted underwear styles beneath a matching sheer T-shirt-and-capris set.
Fast forward to the ongoing Milan Fashion Week, and the Italians are joining in on the fun. At Fendi, silk teal and salmon-hued bralettes with a black ribbon outline were worn with matching thigh-hitting, black-lace-trimmed shorts with a formal wool coat overtop, further making the case for underwear as outerwear. Glenn Martens at Diesel went for a more indie sleaze vibe, presenting barely-there flower-decorated balconettes (also outfitted with the brand’s signature “D” logo at its center) below torn graphic tanks and sweatshirts.
Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons also contributed to the trend at Prada, taking a more direct stance by simply styling cropped cherry red bustiers and vibrant, geometric-patterned bandeaus as-is with a vast array of midi skirts. Seriously, who needs a real shirt anyways?
As Paris Fashion Week gets closer, it’s highly likely the colorfully skimpy fad will continue — particularly at labels like Vaquera, Cecilie Bahnsen, Rick Owens, Ottolinger, and Miu Miu, all of which have regularly shown statement-making bras in past seasons.
Although the trend will surely maintain its takeover on the runways, the question of how it will translate commercially remains. It’s not dissimilar to the oh-so-2016, Coachella-esque fad of bras peeping out beneath DIY-knotted tees, so, who knows? With plenty of 2016 nostalgia lingering in the culture, these designers might just be onto something.
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