Who started the 'puffification' trend in fashion?

Whatever the reason, the 'puffification' trend became more visible with Paris Hilton. The post shared by Y2K (ie 2000s fashion) queen Paris Hilton on her Instagram account reached millions of likes within minutes. Hilton shared his Kill Bill cosplay with a yellow black jumpsuit and huge yellow boots.

The boots, whose red version we met at the beginning of the year, bear the signature of MSCHF, a design research collective from New York. The collective is famous for its designs that 'troll' the consumption culture. His past works include “Birkinstock” slippers made from Hermes Birkin bags, and Ax No 5 perfume, which he created by mixing Ax deodorant with Chanel No5. Although we are used to MSCHF trolling us, seeing the yellow boots produced in collaboration with Crocs on the feet of a fashion icon was mind-blowing. Why do we want to look like Bibendum?

Over the last few seasons, we've seen designers develop witty language. The rise of Paris Hilton's puffy boots and similar fluffy designs goes back to the pandemic. At that time, the trend started by influencers posing by hugging pillows was longer than we expected. “Puffification” took place in the collections of brands such as Prada, Maison Margiela, and Loewe in the last two seasons. According to a study by Stylight Insights, searches for “puffy” clothes increased by 26 percent.

Is it a reaction?

According to some, this trend, which was born as a psychological reaction due to the pandemic, is the same as the reaction of a child who wants to hug a blanket when he is afraid. According to some, the reason for this exaggerated and even caricatured bloat is a natural result of the fact that inflation, which has become an economic term, affects designers. Speaking to The Post about the relationship of this trend, which TikTok users describe as "puffification", to inflation, content producer Tariro Makoni said, "It's like a human-sized pillow is sitting in your closet that can absorb all the shocks. It's soft enough to make you forget all your anxiety when you think about the rising inflation,” he explains.

The Moschino SS23 fashion show exhibited in September 2022 by Jeremy Scott, who always conveys the period and conditions he is into his designs and develops an ironic discourse, is also remarkable in this sense. Presenting his inflatable sea toys-inspired collection as a depiction of the economic crisis, Scott said in an interview with Vogue US, "Everybody talks about inflation. Costs are rising; rent, food, life… I also reflected this in my collection”.

The bulge of the fashion world was not limited to Moschino. While Bottega Veneta's cuddling bags broke sales records, Coach's marshmallow-looking Pillow Tabbys, which received 12.6 million views on TikTok, signaled that this swelling would be permanent. In the same period, Jacquemus introduced Le Bambimou, the bulging version of the much-loved Bambino bag. In fact, Acne Studio has literally weathered the trend by producing a truly inflatable PVC bag.

Prada loved it too

Some trends need the signature of Miuccia Prada to be permanent in the fashion world. Prada's risk-taking production of bulging versions of iconic loafers and ballerinas completely changed the rules of the game. So much so that those who received the invitation to the AW23 menswear collection as pillows were not surprised when they saw the pillow-shaped T-shirts at the fashion show. With this move, Prada started to challenge the plain and functional role of modernism reflected in fashion with an exaggerated and comfortable form. The customer base addressed by brands such as The Row and Toteme in the past seasons has again turned to simple but warmer designs today. While the fashion world is asking if the red satin quilt jacket Rihanna wore in the Superbowl is an exaggerated costume; The Barbie movie that appears everywhere and the motto “Life is plastic” came into play. Brands such as Loewe and Balenciaga are not just pink; joined this trend with inflatable plastic-looking heels.

While we wake up with a new idea every day thanks to the "core" movements, we need to remember that trends are born between multiple social layers in order to understand consumer behavior. If we look at the images of Pope Francis wearing a white puffer coat designed using AI, within this framework; we're catching clues as to why the bullish trend is up. Parsons trainer Emily Carmeli describes this as an expansion of the imagination: “Designers use softness to create a blurred but new space between reality and the digital world.”

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PUFFIFYING FASHION DURING INFLATION

https://culted.com/puffifying-fashion-during-inflation/