Item of the week: the mini skirt

What it is:

The mini skirt has been at the centre of fashion for decades, acting as a force for both controversial moments and definitive industry timestamps. British designer Mary Quant is often credited with aiding in the rise of the style, releasing above-the-knee skirts in 1964 labelled ‘the Mini’. The skirt style continued to enjoy popularity throughout the ‘60s, the decade in which it was officially considered a fashion trend, and came to fruition again in the ‘00s, donned by the likes of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, the drivers of ‘Y2K’ fashion. It is this nostalgic trend that continues to have influence over current fashion, as younger generations draw inspiration from earlier pop culture looks - a likely cause for the resurgence of the micro-mini - and designers are beginning to catch on.

Why you’ll want it:

It has been hard to avoid Miu Miu’s ultra mini interpretation of the skirt style from its SS22 collection, as it continues to make its rounds on celebrities, magazine covers and campaigns alike. In fact, since the skirt’s debut in October, fashion search platform Lyst reported that the demand for mini skirts was at a three-year high, with Miu Miu’s style alone garnering almost 900 searches a day. Its popularity especially stems from the younger Generation Z group, who are continuing to drive the ongoing resurgence of Y2K fashion trends. While its place in fashion often fluctuates, its regular appearance on multiple AW22 runways has cemented its demand and place for the coming season too, ensuring the skirt style will not be disappearing anytime soon.

Where we’ve seen it:

Following in the footsteps of Miu Miu’s business-like, barely-there mini, many designers have adopted the trend for their AW22 collections. Diesel’s Glenn Martens was among those that turned heads for the coming season, debuting a low-waisted ‘belt skirt’ that offered a contemporary take on the Y2K look. Martens’ designs ranged from branded leather skirts to deconstructed denim styles, complete with belt buckles. Dion Lee also introduced its own version of the risqué micro trend, offering up a tiny leather design also reminiscent of a belt. At London Fashion Week, Supriya Lee was another to take the look on, presenting experimental wrap designs that brought a more abstract approach to the trend, while 16Arlington’s tiny designs consisted of subtle embellishments. Like Miu Miu, Versace twisted up the business aesthetic, exhibiting pinstripe, houndstooth and sparkly minis that brought a new meaning to office wear.

How to style it:

While luxury designers are opting for risqué, barely-there hemlines, retailers and brands have introduced styles that are a bit more user-friendly. This makes the mini skirt more approachable to those who are maybe less comfortable with baring so much skin. For those that still prefer the safer route, skin coloured or opaque tights are a quick fix and also allow the design to cross over into the colder seasons. Pair the look with knee-high boots, a long-line coat and jumper for a transitional outfit perfect for autumn and winter. In the summer, rock the mini skirt with sneakers and an oversized tee or layer up the look with a vest and linen overshirt for a casual yet elevated look. A stylish alternative, if the skirt is part of a co-ord, is to put the pieces together for a matching, two-piece outfit that ties together effortlessly.

The mini skirt has made its mark in past eras and is currently making its mark in fashion now, revived as a daring but still approachable wardrobe staple for those willing to push boundaries and step outside their comfort zone. As designers continue to push the style in their collections, young buyers are adopting the look as a fully reinvented trend from nostalgic fashion eras.

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