Everyone Freed The Nipple At Fashion Week, Both On & Off The Runway

A year ago, Florence Pugh rolled up to a fashion show during Couture Week in a sheer gown that exposed her nipples. People, AKA keyboard warriors, were so offended by the revealing style they sounded off about it, loudly, from behind their computer screens. Though more A-listers like Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, and Kendall Jenner have also consistently been spotted freeing the nipple, the look was considered risqué and highly controversial.

Now, just over a year later, New York Fashion Week was rife with ‘fits that bare breasts. And it’s about time. Women should be able to freely expose whichever body part they want to without censorship (that’s why filmmaker Lina Esco pioneered the #FreetheNipple movement in the first place). And with virtually every runway this season showing a nip-baring ensemble, it seems that established and contemporary designers are entirely on board.

Carolina Herrera, Michael Kors, Prabal Gurung, and other esteemed designers put their own spin on the breast-flaunting look. Herrera, known for her luxe romanticism, sent braless models in see-through lace dresses and co-ord sets down the runway. Kors stayed true to his usual polished glam sensibilities with bra-free models in monochromatic ensembles. Meanwhile, at Prabal Gurung, breasts were exposed under decadent gauzy styles (i.e., pleats and bejeweled tops).

Several newer designers also embraced the look. At LaQuan Smith, Bishme Cromartie, and Bevza, for instance, the most translucent of tops were paired with contrastingly opaque trousers in the same color family.

On the Eckhaus Latta runway, Paloma Elsesser also rocked the sheer look, sporting a lace midi that strategically covered some areas. Priscavera took a more subtle route, with models who went braless under thin, flowy fabrics.

Others even took the risqué look up a notch. The likes of Wiederhoeft, Collina Strada, PatBO, and Staud paired freed nips with the exposed undies trend (extra spicy points for thongs, another big Fashion Week hit).

Even Naomi Campbell, who took to the runway to launch her collab with PrettyLittleThing, strutted in an utterly sheer, rhinestone-encrusted column dress.

Of course, front-row fixtures got the memo to dress as daringly as the looks sent down the runways. Emily Ratajkowski, for example, rocked see-through ‘fits on more than one occasion. Meanwhile, Doja Cat wore a sheer bra to one of Fashion Week’s late-night shindigs.

It’s a new fashion era of total bodily autonomy. I’m here for it.