The quiet luxury aesthetic, a trend coined in 2023 as a response to 2000s logomania and a post-pandemic world, has become so overly saturated in fashion and on TikTok that it's starting to cause a serious bout of fatigue. Now, don't get us wrong, we're all for making the understated minimalist trend a timeless, sophisticated, classic, but we're also pretty damn happy to welcome the maximalism resurgence. Or a return to radical fashion optimism if you will.
It just might have been Bella Baxter who sparked our desire for OTT fashion, or Barbiecore, or Beyonce and Rihanna with their outlandish takes on cowboy core but whatever the impetus fashion is having fun again. And by that we mean, throwing the rule book out the window and upping the ante on bold colors, crazy patterns, and accessories to the max.
"Essentially, maximalism comes from a desire to live freely, openly, exuberantly and without worrying about 'the rules,'" TikTok style influencer Sara Camposarcone @saracampz, who is known for her rebellious take-no-prisoners approach to style said in a recent ELLE article."It's about learning how to dress for ourselves—in what makes us happy—and giving a big maximalist middle finger to what other people think."
Head-to-Toe Color
Maxing out on color is in as showcased at Alessandro Enriquez's collection and via Tokyo Fashion Week Fall 2024's street style. The key is to keep either your entire look or two major elements vibrant, including shoes. If you're concerned about looking clown-like, start with a multicolored printed item, then add two bold-hued pieces that coordinate. Bonus points if one of them is a cartoonish pair of flatforms or boots in bright blue or orange.
Maximum Ruffles
As Emma Stone's Poor Things alter ego Bella Baxter demonstrates in her beautiful Victorian-era ensembles — like the puff-sleeve blue jacket and ruffled white blouse she sports while traveling to Portugal with Duncan Wedderburn — there's no such thing as too much volume. "What we ended up with had a lot to do with texture — big textures in the clothing, things that felt organic, things that felt inflated," costume designer Holly Waddington told the Motion Picture Association.
The whimsical sci-fi film has undoubtedly made an impact on the fashion crowd, namely attendees at last month's Tokyo Fashion Week, who embraced voluminous ruffled skirts in gorgeous hues like seafoam and magenta. Molly Goddard and Rodarte also solidified the allover ruffle trend with over-the-top and ultra-feminine skirts and dresses on their respective Fall 2024 runways.
Allover Embellishments
The maximalist discourse would not be complete without some allover embellishments. Think textured, hand-sewn accouterments from sequins to buttons, floral appliqués to bows. For FW24, Japanese label Anrealage reimagined embellishments for menswear, creating patterns out of buttons for an avant-garde effect. Not to mention, deep purple and black body-skimming dresses topped with layers of bows hit the Prada runway, offering a darker, moody take on the femme trend.
2D PRINTS
Prints have gotten bigger, bolder, and crazier and have officially become a texture. Agatha Ruiz De La Prada offered a colorful display of whimsically placed oversized polka dots and triangle shapes that appeared pasted on for a playful effect, while emerging Japanese label Mr. It created a motif out of pillowlike stuffed hearts.
SLEEK PUNK
The anarchic, non-conformist ethos of the 80s punk subculture has inspired many designers, especially for FW24–this time it's a bit more polished. Miu Miu and Versace led the pack, with tailored leather jackets and gloves and red leather corset dresses, respectively. Then there were MSGMs slouchy, yet streamlined latex ensembles and Chet Lo's red and black spiked knit pieces. This season's punk is still maximalist through the endless use of leather and statement pieces, smokey eye makeup, and a devil-may-care spirit.
