Haute Couture in 1990

Often times we think about the trends in the fashion industry in the 1990s or earlier. Some of the luxury designers today existed during the 90s as well. We wonder to what extent the trends have changed. It’s evident that trends were different in the previous century as there were different perceptions regarding fashion. Could this be one of the main reasons why 1990s trends are returning in 2022? Lately, it has been observed that a lot of the trends from the 1990s have resurfaced e.g. low waisted jeans, shoulder bags, beaded necklaces, etc. Following through will be a discussion on the most famous haute couture looks from the 1990s.

Getty Images/ AFP/ PIERRE GUILLAUD

Back in the 1990s, the dress styles were similar to what they are today but the hairstyles were more elaborate and extravagant. Those styles were far more theatrical and dramatic as they focused more on the hairstyles than the dresses. One of the audience’s favorites is the red maxi dress from Balmain in 1991. On the outside, it’s just a plain velvet dress, but it’s the pose with which the model is carrying the dress. The red velvet cloth that she draped herself with is what fascinated the audience. Moving on to the dress by Dior in 1991, was a plain maxi black dress with an elaborate bow placed over it. The elaborate bow acted as the subtle cape for the dress. Another fascinating feature of this dress was the model’s theatrical hair and how it made an accurate combination with her dress.

There are countless other dresses or pieces that were the talk of the town back in the 1990s. Here are a few similarities we observed if we compare 1990s haute couture trends to today’s haute couture trends for example elaborate hairstyles, special ornaments on the dresses, subtle makeup looks, and separate statement pieces attached to the dress. Every decade has its own set of haute couture trends but we are here for it all.