Power Shoulders Return: Street Style Embraces the Exaggerated Silhouette
The iconic power shoulder, a defining feature of 1980s attire, is making a comeback in modern street fashion, as seen in the latest fashion weeks held in Paris, Milan, London, New York, and Shanghai. First introduced by Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli during the 1930s, it came to represent female empowerment in the '80s. Designers such as Claude Montana and Demna at Balenciaga later embraced this style with bold proportions. Currently, the power shoulder has transformed into various iterations—padded, sculpted, draped, and elongated. Its resurgence is influenced by 'The Shards,' inspired by Bret Easton Ellis's horror novel, evoking nostalgia for '80s styles. Street style photographers have captured this trend, indicating a shift from its original feminist connotations to a more whimsical interpretation.
Key facts
- The power shoulder trend originated in the 1930s with designers Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli.
- In the 1980s, the power shoulder became a key element of power dressing, helping women assert themselves in the workforce.
- Claude Montana, dubbed 'King of the Shoulder Pad,' and Demna at Balenciaga featured exaggerated shoulders on runways.
- The trend has been spotted in street style at fashion weeks in Paris, Milan, London, New York, and Shanghai.
- The resurgence is linked to the release of 'The Shards,' a series based on Bret Easton Ellis's novel.
- The modern power shoulder is experimental, with padded, sculpted, draped, and extended variations.
- The trend has shed its political skin and become more experimental.
- The article includes images from various fashion weeks, including Paris spring 2024, Paris spring 2023 couture, Paris fall 2017, Paris fall 2024, Milan fall 2024, Paris fall 2026 couture, Paris spring 2023 menswear, London spring 2023, New York fall 2024, and Shanghai spring 2022.
Entities
Artists
- Coco Chanel
- Elsa Schiaparelli
- Claude Montana
- Demna
- Bret Easton Ellis
Institutions
- Balenciaga
Locations
- Paris
- France
- Milan
- Italy
- London
- United Kingdom
- New York
- United States
- Shanghai
- China