Stylish, mysterious and slightly controversial: Saint Laurent breathes new life into the iconic ‘hoodie’ | fashion beauty

You can’t miss Paris Fashion Week last week. But one fashion show stood head and shoulders above the rest. With the impressive Eiffel Tower as a backdrop, fashion brand Saint Laurent made a real spectacle on the fountain at the Champ de Mars. The design that stole the show: the hoodie, also known as the hoodie.

It was the creative designer of the French fashion house, Belgian Anthony Vaccarello, who decided to revive the hooded dress. And you can take it quite literally, because the “hooded” dress was actually designed in the 1960s by Yves Saint Laurent. Himself. In fact, it’s one of his most signature designs and a piece that turns out to have a very personal touch.

Yves Saint Laurent was of Algerian descent. There, both men and women wear the djellaba, a traditional dress that often has a point-shaped hood. This was definitely one of his inspirations. Our fashion expert David Defriendt explains that his fondness for Morocco, the country where he went on vacation with his husband in the 1960s and also bought several homes, was also involved in the design.

_{(Read more below the image.)}

However, the design was already in circulation before the 1960s. “Even in medieval and Greek antiquity,” says David. “Women in those days would wear the hijab as a kind of veil or when secretly going for their love. Monks and nuns also wore similar designs, as did movie gods from the 1950s, like Lana Turner.”

Despite the fact that the hooded dress already saw the light of day in the 1960s, the design has returned to interest on a regular basis. In 1985 and 2002, for example, she appeared again in Saint Laurent’s haute couture collection. Other brands have already entered this trend. Fashion designer Ezz El Din Ali was a big fan of the hooded dress. Even Victoria Beckham and Versace brought similar designs to their collections.”

The fact that the hooded dress has emerged as a true icon has not gone unnoticed by celebrities. Grace Jones appeared in it several times, as did Kylie Minogue in her music video for ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head.’ She recently made fun of Kylie Jenner with her. Anne Hathaway drew all eyes on her at the MET Gala in 2015, also wearing a hooded dress.”

_{(Read more below the image.)}

But is it comfortable? “Oh my God, it just depends on how you look,” David says. “If you wear a hat, you will feel uncomfortable at first. The more you wear such things, the better you will feel. Saint Laurent happened to launch a very elegant design, but you can also find such a wide, flowing hoodie and blouse dress.”

Everyone agrees that it is an elegant design in the first place. “It exudes a kind of luxury and decadence, a balance between excitement and fun. But also anonymity, which is a great atmosphere do not touch me. You can hide in it, as a kind of statement.”

Although the design is somewhat controversial. “Just like a balaclava (Hat with one large opening in the front of the eyes, Ed.), the hooded dress is also associated with the hijab. From these cultures there is present-day criticism of such designs. Many ask, “Why do we face criticism when we wear the hijab?” For some, the hood also symbolizes the oppression of women. For others, it is a form of self-expression. or as a form open civilization Will it be called? The future will tell, but since the design has a long history in the West, it won’t be black and white.”

Josje Huisman launched her own brand of hats. “People who wear hats fascinate me instantly.”

Essentiel Antwerp with KMSKA brings art to life: “It’s a great honor to work with them”