Does fashion have a padding fetish?

Over the last two seasons, we have seen how fashion is inflating a whole constellation of objects that represent aesthetic fusions of modernism and sophistication. But if there has been any brand that has aroused devotion in this regard, it has been Prada, viralizing a whole fluffy and quilted universe.

The art of exaggeration and fantasy converge as an escape route in times of recession and collective sadness. A concept intrinsically linked between fashion and culture that luxury brands seem to have channeled (and materialized) in their new proposals, swelling from their jackets to their iconic accessories, as in the case of Prada.

THE PUFFY TREATMENT

Mega quilts are now becoming the ultimate expression of regular puffers, as bulkier and more prominent pieces, as we could see in KidSuper‘s version of Louis Vuitton Men’s FW23 mauve coat. Not to mention Loewe’s €7,000 quilted bomber, ranked #7 on Lyst’s Q4 best-seller list.

But the topic in question transcends the sphere of outerwear in general and jackets in particular. Accessories are also swelling and increasing their proportions, especially by Prada, the luxury brand that has quilted a wide range of archival pieces such as its re-nylon Moon bags or its iconic Monolith loafers.

That obsession with inflation has been a sentiment shared by Coach, which it represented in its Pillow Tabby quilted bag presented in the FW21 season. In this sense, Maison Margiela already preceded this trend some time ago with its Glam Slam designed by John Galliano, which since its debut in the SS18 season has not ceased to increase its covetousness. Hussein Chalayan or Issey Miyake similarly experimented with puffy garments that they sculpted through the renegades of fashion movement.

Recently, Jeremy Scott also took quilting to a new dimension through the Moschino SS23 collection, in which he inflated from mini hearts, to collars, bows or jackets. A technique with which he wanted precisely to open an extensive dialogue about inflation, incorporating it in his proposal as a kind of reflection of our time. Because fashion is also a mirror of what is happening around us.