Modern-Day Y2K

And for that, rare metallic fabrics, body-baring cutouts and tiny tinted sunglasses are beaconing with an irresistible glow. Model Janet Jumbo, fresh off her first British Vogue cover, needs no coaching on starring in anything – and demonstrates the mood of celebrating the Y2K resurgence with ease. Kay Barron, NET-A-PORTER’s fashion director, says: “What I love about this trend is its focus on pure body positivity; the return of the mini marks a powerful ownership of your body. It’s like a liberation from loungewear, with its sensual, ‘barely there’ bodycon dresses and lingerie-inspired details from Supriya Lele and LaQuan Smith – the designers leading the charge of the Y2K resurgence.”

Indeed, sexy fashion is what LaQuan Smith does best. The NY-based designer is a favorite amongst musicians like Rihanna and Dua Lipa and, as a millennial himself, he acknowledges the joy of throwing back to a time untouched by the digital lifestyles we know now, when social media did not exist and fashion provided a tangible window into the fantasy of imagining what being a ‘grown up’ would be like. Describing his brand as “modern, feminine and unapologetic”, Smith says this collection is, “inspired by New York City and the Empire State Building. Jewel tones, art deco, [and] prints [were] mirrored from the ceilings of the iconic building”. What’s more, the native New Yorker – who also knows a thing or two about being a showstopper – chose to use the Empire State Building as the consummate setting for his SS22 show.

His legacy as part of a growing community of Black fashion designers is one that is particularly important as a guidepost for other creatives looking to express themselves through design. It’s a path that is never an easy pursuit because the industry as a whole often operates from a place of exclusivity, prestige and affluence, but is made even more difficult when prejudices compound obstacles for Black designers on the basis of race and class. Smith, who has been transparent about his journey, seeks to dress multiple body types, and challenges the traditional ideas of ‘branding’ by working with talent that might otherwise be overlooked. And no one is ever overlooked when wearing LaQuan Smith.

Clothes that demand attention, focus on the body and celebrate the female form are emblematic of the Y2K style, but if you were young during the original epoch, you’ll know that the narrow obsession with a singular body type was not the healthiest, nor most authentic manifestation of the joys of getting dressed. Instead, one of the most satisfying ways to spark joy is to experiment with color. Bottega Veneta’s blue, textured pants paired with a silky cornflower top from contemporary American brand A.L.C. is a fashion-forward, playful way to embrace Y2K fashion. Or, to explore a more refined version of the trend, perhaps it’s the shapeshifting magic of proportions that are more your speed. Joseph Altuzarra of Altuzarra says his spring collection addresses “mythology, mystery, and ways in which this magic seeps into our world”. After several seasons of showing abroad in Paris, Altuzarra’s spring 2022 collection saw the runway return home stateside, with the black puffer and fit-and-flare knit skirt from Alaïa photographed on Jumbo embracing a simplicity and daring that takes the look from austere to legendary.

In projecting the mood of Y2K, the atmosphere of creating magic is central. Magic is precisely what a music video attempts to capture in about four minutes or less; the medium becoming an art form in the ’80s and then expanding by the early part of the millennium into a veritable canvas for iconography. The emotions cultivated by music videos become cultural cornerstones, crossing several different kinds of boundaries in a single shared experience. Renowned director and photographer Hype Williams’ work defined the era, and was responsible for award-winning video classics like TLC’s No Scrubs (1999) and Will Smith’s Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It (1997), which created the blueprint for music videos of the Y2K era. The stylistic heritage Williams established is one that emphasizes playing with proportions, color and texture as a means of being more visually dynamic and, most importantly, a larger-than-life attitude that ties all elements together.

Also a frequent collaborator with rapper and fashion designer Kanye West, Williams’ signature style involves shooting from down low with a fisheye lens, which creates a distorted effect for the viewer. In real life, this can be done by carefully choosing elements in outfits that range from oversized to tiny. Pastel-hued sunglasses from Balenciaga, perched on the edge of your nose, and paper-bag-waist pants from Australian-based designer Dion Lee encourage a casual adoption of the trend that can be broken down into digestible components – and mixed in as supplementary and supporting characters to any existing wardrobe.

Williams’ videos seemed to look towards the future, which, given that the videos were filmed more than 20 years ago, we’re now occupying. In that pursuit, a central player was the body. London-based designer Supriya Lele let the female body take center stage in her SS22 line, telling American Vogue that this collection is a result of consumer feedback and concentrated refinement. “We work so hard on cut. We tweak it, develop it each season,” she says. Founded in 2016, the designer, who is of Indian heritage and was one of eight recipients of the LVMH Prize in 2020, makes a point of producing clothing that is sexy, modern and versatile. Pieces often offer multiple ways to be worn, and since the advent of the millennium introduced us to the concept of the low-rise jean (as well as encouraged lingerie to be visible), Lele pays homage with cutouts and waistbands that contain faux-thong lines. Case in point: Jumbo wears a green Supriya Lele dress with a strappy lace-up heel from Italian footwear deity Gianvito Rossi in a perfect amalgamation of something you might have seen on TRL in 2002.

The footwear and accessories of Y2K were made to specifically increase visibility – remember, no internet meant that when you turned up in person, you needed to make the statement right then and there. There were no selfies for posterity yet. And in that regard, the accessories of Y2K do their job. Any time there’s hesitation about new trend participation, accessories are the entry point. “Should I, or shouldn’t I?” is a common debate for any shopper, but since accessories can be worn multiple ways, they are almost always a sure-fire investment. NET-A-PORTER’s Kay Barron explains: “The finer details are key here; even the accessories are bold and seductive. You’re looking for vertiginous platforms and sleek, crescent-shaped shoulder bags in acidic brights or soft, pastel tones.” A fitted Christian Louboutin boot that doubles as a leg warmer can be worn with the simplest of silhouettes and accompanied by the blingiest of accessories. In fact, the 1999 rap song Bling Bling by B.G. featuring Big Tymers and Hot Boyz coined the term that we’ve come to understand as the sound effect for anything shiny. It specifically references diamonds, but it can also be used to describe diamond-adjacent pieces, like a Judith Leiber clutch that looks like a disco ball you can store your credit card in, and an Area top made entirely from yellow sequins. Bling captures the Y2K spirit in a way that can be shared and adopted by everyone.

So, with this in mind, here’s hoping that embracing the futuristic feelings of Y2K with a fresh approach is your calling for SS22. Whether you’re new to the idea of dressing as if you could replace all three members of Destiny’s Child or simply revisiting the noughties by dusting off a micro-mini and blasting Aaliyah, it’s time to get declarative about a joyous new season. We’re still here, still optimistic about what’s to come and, if all else fails, as the late musical genius Prince said, ready to “party like it’s 1999”.

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