Love Island always promises a good watch when it comes to fashion. From the underboob of 2021 to the perspex heels of 2019, the show undeniably creates trends that live on past the season’s finale date.
With eBay as this year’s fashion sponsor, avid watchers were promised a change in direction, with a move away from fast fashion, and towards scoring second-hand bargains online. And thanks to Amy Bannerman, the stylist who developed an archive of pre-loved pieces for the show, there have been some real fashion highlights.
Tasha, who’s been turning heads as the fashion star in the villa, has been spotted in a vintage Versace two-piece, a Diesel leather number, and a red co-ord by Gaultier Junior to name a few of her best moments. And it doesn’t stop there - Indiyah has shown her penchant for old season Poster Girl and Mark Fast designs, whilst Dami and Luca have opted for shirts from Pleats Please Issey Miyake and Gucci respectively.
When sourcing clothing, Bannerman and her team have been focussing on curating looks around themes created with current runway inspiration and the Love Island aesthetic in mind, like ‘Blurred Lines’, a gender fluid aesthetic which she explains has been adopted by the boys as well as the girls: “there has been a satin silky satin cream shirt that a few of the boys have worn which is very much crossing those lines. And of course, Tasha wearing the Champion men’s bomber jacket which she styled off the shoulder, definitely shone through for the trend.”
Other categories include ‘Dopamine Dressing’ seen through Tasha’s brights and the Poster Girl dresses, Y2K, which has been a go-to for contestants, with many islanders sporting corsets, cargo pants, and beaded jewellery throughout, and Love Me Forever, a category that Bannerman explains has been adopted by Gemma: “Love Me Forever is very Gemma’s vibe with lots of very classic, keep forever garments which she dazzles in. As well as Tasha in that leather Diesel dress which really transcends trends.”
When it comes to their own clothes, though, it was back to business as usual with fast fashion brands PrettyLittleThing, Boohoo, Oh Polly and ASOS as some of their labels of choice. As you’d expect, the cut-out-dress was a hot favourite, alongside the usual barely there bikinis and bodycon pieces.
Bannerman explained in an interview with Glamour: “I know a lot of the girls like those bodycon looks, or brands they veer towards such as Shein or Oh Polly – so we’ve been looking at designers like Christopher Esber, who does lots of cutouts, vintage Mark Fast, who obviously originated the whole tire fabric dress thing, and Hervé Leger”, the latter having been worn by Ekin-Su.
Even better, she hopes that this season may dissuade them from shopping fast fashion in future seasons: “I think that this partnership with eBay would hopefully have encouraged them to shop pre-loved, look at designers they didn’t know about or look for the brands that they really like online.” And with searches for pre-loved fashion up 700 per cent on eBay, we hope so too.
So, from corsets to cargos, midaxis to micro minis, we’ve taken a look at the best (and the worst) trends from this year’s show below.
Are they good on paper only? You decide...
Upside down & three-piece bikinis
Every season the islanders forge a new swimwear style, from the underboob last year, to the neon styles of 2019.
This year’s edition is the topsy turvy upside down bikini, favoured by bombshell Antigoni (alongside the likes of Kendall and Kylie Jenner), who, by the way, has her own swimwear label. The three-piece bikini set, which includes a matching cover-up, also seemed to be all the rage.
According to data at New Look, searches for ‘three-piece bikini set’ increased by 250 per cent after the show started, so it’s looking like the swimwear trio is here to stay.
Upside Down Bikinis
To get the look, take any bikini of the bikinis below, and flip it.
Urban Outfitters Out From Under Black Floral Barbados Bikini
Buy now £20.00, Urban Outfitters
Ganni string bikini
Buy now £51.00, Farfetch
Jade Swim Via Triangle Bikini
Buy now £85.00, MatchesFashion
Three Piece Bikinis
£0.00
PrettyLittleThing ORANGE RIBBED 3 PIECE SWIMWEAR SET
Buy now £25.00, PrettyLittleThing
I Saw It First Lime Green Marble Print 3 Piece Strappy Bikini & Mini Skirt Set
Buy now £50.00, I Saw It First
Shein 3pack Floral Print Triangle Bikini Swimsuit With Cover Up Skirt
Buy now £11.99, Shein
Corsets
Having been popular since the 1500s, the corset is making it’s second comeback of the century, and has been a top-pick in the villa this season. First doing the rounds in the early aughts (just think of the iconic Madonna/Britney Christina Aguilera moment at the 2003 VMAs), it’s now back as a Y2K reference with islanders Ekin-Su, Indiyah, Tasha, and Paige wearing versions from Oh Polly, Shein, and Bershka.
Miaou Tati Mesh Tie Top
Buy now £179.00, End Clothing
Reformation Sorrento Silk Top
Buy now £130.00, Reformation
ASOS DESIGN lace up western corset top in black
Buy now £20.00, ASOS
Cut-outs
Of course, in true Love Island style, the cut-out has prevailed as the star of the show. With second hand versions by Poster Girl and Mark Fast, to new designs from the likes of House Of CB, PrettyLittleThing, and Ego, nearly every islander has opted to expose some extra skin at one recoupling or another. Whether they’ve gone for a micro-mini, a midaxi, or even a blazer, cut outs come in every shape and size and can be removed from, well, anywhere.
Poster Girl The Miranda Dress
Buy now £156.00, Revolve
Weekday Liria Cut Out Dress
Buy now £29.00, Weekday
GAUGE81 Chaleg cut-out linen-blend mini dress
Buy now £270.00, Selfridges
Denim
Denim has been in the spotlight this season, from Tasha’s Zara two-piece a la Miu Miu SS22, to Paige’s baggy noughties jeans by PrettyLittleThing, it’s been worn throughout the series by nearly every contestant. From Tasha pairing mini shorts with cowboy boots, to Chyna coordinating a corset top with a pair of high waisted jeans, they’ve styled it in endless ways, and we’re here for it.
Free People Old West Slouchy Jeans
Buy now £118.00, Free People
Zara Denim Box Pleat Mini Skirt
Corset, £25.99, and skirt, £25.99
Buy now £25.99, Zara
Nobody’s Child Faith Playsuit
Buy now £30.00, Nobody’s Child
Cargo Pants
A favourite of Paige and Gemma, and another Y2K revival, the cargo pant has been a season 8 winner. The pair not only wore them during their talent show performance singing the Black Eyed Peas ‘My Humps’, but throughout the season have opted for green, slim-fit, and oversized white styles which they’ve worn with corsets and crop tops. Move over Xtina, Paige and Gemma have arrived.
Monki Black Utility Denim Trousers
Buy now £50.00, Monki
I Saw It First utility cargo trousers in sage
Buy now £35.00, ASOS
Bershka Rustic fabric cargo trousers
Buy now £32.99, Bershka
Mesh sleeves & gloves
Forget seeing your forearms for the foreseeable future because it seems the trend this season is to cover them up. Whether you’re partial to a mesh sleeve or a neon glove, Summer, Danica and Paige have all taught us a lesson in forearm modesty.
White Fox Boutique Link Up Mini Dress Cyan Blue
Buy now £47.00, White Fox Boutique
House Of CB Mina Black Structured Corset
Buy now £99.00, House Of CB
