Fashion in 1997 encapsulated so many iconic moments that influenced the modern industry we know today. It may just be the most important fashion year of this century, and it started with Tom Ford’s provocative Gucci G-string. A play on words, the spring 1997 design showcased a thong with a large letter G in the top center. Sounds familiar? Yes, the same G-string Kim Kardashian rocked on Instagram back in 2018, where a lot of younger people saw it for the first time. The iconic thong’s revival caused a wave of exposed underwear featuring a gem of some kind in the same spot.
What makes this fashion era so compelling is that it didn’t solely focus on creating visually pleasing pieces, but it had something to say. Rei Kawakubo’s “Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body” 1997 collection for Comme des Garçons certainly ruffled some fashion feathers. Featuring ensembles with padding in unexpected places, like the abdomen and the hips, it challenged traditional views of beauty. Francesca Granata, fashion author and associate professor of fashion studies at Parsons School of Design, explained for The Museum of Modern Art, “The collection was also widely referred as the ‘lumps and bumps’ collection, bringing the point home that it was making reference to non-fit body.”
Menswear was also revolutionized in the late ’90s with the launch of Raf Simons’ menswear label. His 1997 debut collection set in motion the new man — fashionably rebellious and unbothered, yet still wearing suits.