Belts are back: from Miu Miu to Diesel’s controversial belt skirt, the most practical of accessories returns – buckling up higher than Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian’s 2010s chunky belt moment
- Buckle up? From Olympic ski champion Eileen Gu’s Carrie Bradshaw nod at Louis Vuitton’s spring/summer show to Bottega Veneta’s equestrian-themed buckle, belts are back in vogue
- From novelty designs to daring twists, Tom Ford, Max Mara, Loewe and Miu Miu are making the case for the belt boom, with both indie brands and luxury houses bringing the fun back to the staple accessory
Save for a brief stint in the 2010s – when paparazzi captured the likes of Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian in chunky belts with flowy bohemian tops – belts have flown under the womenswear radar for a decade, for better or worse.
That was the case until recent years, when the accessory started making a splash on fashion’s most talked-about runways. Yes, we can theorise that the rise of investment-minded shopping (in driving purchases of timeless clothes and accessories with higher cost-per-wear) is giving belts more of a statement-making voice, but regardless, it’s clear that the accessory is back in full force.
Then there was the controversial Diesel belt skirt, which tapped into the micro-mini skirt silhouette as part of the brand’s fall/winter 2022 collection. Since then, belts from the likes of Tom Ford, Max Mara, Loewe, Miu Miu and more have fronted campaigns and shows, with novelty belt loops, corseted silhouettes and double buckled belts making the case for a belt boom.
“In the last few years there’s been a shift,” New York-based stylist and creative Alexis Badiyi says. Badiyi, a self-confessed “belt-head”, struggled for years to find interesting new designs from contemporary brands, preferring the vintage pieces from her grandmother and mother’s collections. “I’ve been finding some incredible belts, and I think belts are having their moment again.”
Badiyi points to her long-time inspiration Elsa Peretti (known for her fluid silver designs), whose equestrian belt buckle for Tiffany & Co. Badiyi continues to spot references to. There’s Bottega Veneta’s luxe Horseshoe buckle belt and Tom Ford’s rendition, which was worn low-slung over a body-skimming ribbed dress during the brand’s spring 2024 runway show.
