The MNY Spotlight
BOWS: A BRIEF HISTORY LESSON
FROM THE DESK OF ALESSANDRA PEREZ-RUBIO
Bows are a theme in fashion that have always garnered such a strong reaction. Whether you love it or hate it, it is a shape that transmits a certain nostalgia and sentimentality, a nod to a simpler time. In the past few years I have seen a “bow resurgence” both on the runway and retail. Brands like Oscar De La Renta, Carolina Herrera and Valentino have had bows take center stage in their collections, all in their own way equally special and beautiful. When designing for Mestiza I leaned into this bow resurgence with open arms. It’s a design element I can’t seem to get enough of, and I have an inkling you all feel the same.
It is interesting to note that over the centuries fashion has drastically evolved, but bows are a motif that has been steadily threaded through sartorial history. Women would wear them as accoutrements in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Apparently they even became a status symbol amongst the aristocracy. Then of course men wanted to get in on the fun and they adapted the bow for themselves in the classic tuxedo. My introduction to the oversized bow was on my very first fashion muse at age 4: Minnie Mouse. There have been so many different iterations all leading us to today where they have come back into style because of what they evoke: a certain sweetness, romance and femininity that we all want to embrace. The bow is undeniably archetypal and will clearly stand the test of time.
Today, the Mestiza interpretation of the bow is meant to be a focal point, especially in the case of The Lorena dress. The oversized bow belt, which can be worn defiantly in the front or dramatically in the back makes a real “I understood the assignment” statement...the girls that get it, get it! Of course the belt is removable and the dress can be worn in its pared down version without it. And if you’re taking fashion risks like our favorite style icon, Carrie Bradshaw, wear it strutting down the streets of New York over a tulle mini skirt and opera gloves. After all, we live in a time where fashion boundaries are limitless, and the bigger the bow, the better.
Xx,
Posted on February 28 2022
