Fashion is an industry in constant change and evolution, and often its cyclical pattern can bring back trends and controversies from the past that may be contentious today. These trends are revived and reinterpreted at a rapid pace. What is considered modern and current today can quickly become obsolete tomorrow.
However, what we did not expect in 2023 is the return of clothing pieces that seemed to have been extinct from the wardrobes of Generation Z. Like it or not, skinny jeans, low-rise pants, and leggings dominated the runways of brands like Saint Laurent, Hedi Slimane, Gucci, Prada, Blumarine, Diesel, and Celine. The pieces that exalt an unattainable beauty standard, with flat stomachs and ultra-thin legs, bring back the pressure on people who do not fit this standard.
Despite much talk about body positivity, it seems that in 2023 we are going against this trend. The excessively thin stereotype, known as “heroin chic,” which was popular in the 90s, is back. The look characterized by extreme thinness, hollow eyes, and a contradictory attitude has its origins in the grunge movement and the search for the anti-star image. Moreover, the return of cigarettes as an accessory to this look is concerning. After two decades, cigarette sales began to rise again in 2020, as reported by The New York Times.
To achieve this “new old standard,” celebrities, who are symbols of global beauty, are using medications for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, which contain the active ingredient semaglutide, to reach the “ideal” body. The medication works by increasing insulin production in the body, lowering blood glucose levels, and creating a sensation of fullness in the brain. Approved at the end of 2022 by ANVISA to assist in weight loss, “ozempic” has been one of the most searched topics on Google Trends since January 2023. The indiscriminate use of the drug poses health risks and helps distort beauty standards that had been forgotten by society until now.
This movement, which is far from healthy, should be discouraged rather than considered an ideal of beauty to be followed. It is essential that brands and designers rethink how much fashion influences the behavior of a post-pandemic society, where the feeling of deprivation is sharper than ever, and take into account the representation and inclusion of different body types in their collections, so that fashion can become more accessible and democratic for all.
BEATRIZ DIAS
Graphic Designer, TV Presenter, and Photographer
Beatrizgcostadias@gmail.com