Sheer Beauty
With
Kayako Higuchi
From confident cutouts and barely-there bodysuits to diaphanous textures and fierce flashes of red, there’s so much more to this season’s show-more-skin aesthetic than meets the eye, says EMMA SPEDDING. Discover the sensual silhouettes of the new collections by Saint Laurent, Coperni and more, as modeled here by Japanese model KAYAKO HIGUCHI
Naked dresses have dominated headlines over the past few years, but the show-more-skin movement is so much more than a clickbait-centric ploy to garner as much attention as possible on the red carpet. Transparent, light-as-air fabrics continued to dominate across the spring/summer 2024 collections, but it wasn’t just about statement styling or amplifying the shock factor. Organza, chiffon and tulle were used to add romance, power and depth to daytime outfits that all celebrate the female body.
“Sheer pieces are perfect for layering and bring a sense of fine, gossamer elegance and ethereal lightness to whatever you’re wearing,” says brand consultant Katherine Ormerod. While for her this look should be seen as “a statement of confidence”, she does advise a mindful approach to how “full-on you go” – because “you can’t cross your arms all night!” If you’re not quite ready to follow Olivia Wilde’s lead (who recently donned a barely-there bodysuit on Saint Laurent’s FW24 front row), Ormerod advises tempering the translucence with “a fine bra” layered underneath.
Of course, this season’s sheer aesthetic isn’t just for after-hour occasions. When grounded with elevated basics and sportswear staples, wisp-of-a-thing skirts and tops can be worn within your rotation of everyday pieces. “Nothing says warmer days are coming quite like a sheer dress,” says Harriet Haskell-Thomas, NET-A-PORTER’s global head of styling. But how to make it feel new when we’ve been embracing the trend for the past two summers? The answer is to pair it with practical, off-duty pieces, rather than anything too overtly sexy or formal. “Give your ultra-feminine pieces a sporty spin with retro sneakers and an oversized silk bomber jacket,” advises Haskell-Thomas. “I’ll also be wearing last summer’s sheer blouses with a pair of athletic shorts as a new-season update this year.”
The opening look on Carven’s SS24 runway was a prime example of how sheer fabrics can add an unlikely extra dimension to your daytime looks. An organza gray skirt was styled with a white button-down shirt, gray crew-neck and a sweeping, classic trench coat, giving naked dressing an everyday appeal. This new mood was also seen at Saint Laurent and Coperni, where sheer pieces were layered seamlessly with sweaters, denim and cargo pants. In fact, Saint Laurent’s high-waisted cargo pants were a key component for NET-A-PORTER’s acting deputy fashion director Bojana Kozarevic when she styled this photo shoot – because shape and silhouette become crucial when creating powerful and interesting barely-there looks.
Read on for more styling tricks and key looks to master modern sheer dressing this spring…
“Bodysuits have long been considered a FOUNDATIONAL wardrobe piece – however, for spring/summer 2024, they are MOVING in a more ADVENTUROUS direction”
The bodysuit
Bodysuits have long been considered a foundational wardrobe piece – however, for spring/summer 2024, they are moving in a more adventurous direction. Instead of your typical long-sleeved, crew-neck body, these are crafted in sheer fabrics or have revealing slashed cutouts. We love Isabel Marant’s sensual ultra-sheer design, with daring cutouts that reveal the back and waist, and is held in place with ultra-fine strings. Slouchy, oversized cargo shorts were used on the runway to give the body an off-duty toughness and to balance its second-skin fit. You can even use a swimsuit as a body – in fact, this is a savvy approach to styling when minimal vacation packing is required. Consider Maygel Coronel’s sensational one-piece, which is made from gold stretch fabric and has cutouts all the way down the bodice – the ultimate multi-tasker.
Sheer elegance
“Sheer fabrications were a highlight of the SS24 runways, with transparency best used to subvert items in our closets that are traditionally more demure,” says fashion editor Chloe Street. “Coperni, Victoria Beckham and Acne Studios, for example, all gave angelic white dresses a see-through twist – while, elsewhere, knee-length and midi skirts were made twice-as-fun translucent.” At Carven, the diaphanous pencil skirts were underpinned by ’90s minimalism, so they look more Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy than Kardashian. Your choice of underwear is of course so much more important when everyone can see it in plain sight, and New York-based label Skin creates triangle bras and briefs that are the ultimate foundational pieces, thanks to the modest amount of coverage and comfortable natural materials.
“Sheer fabrications were a HIGHLIGHT of the SS24 runways, with transparency best used to SUBVERT items that are traditionally more DEMURE”
A sporty finish
One of the easiest ways to give transparent looks a gear shift is to add athletic pieces that are more sporty than sexy. “It can make a look feel even more elevated, as the contrast shines a light on the higher fashion pieces,” Kozarevic explains. This isn’t about the leggings and sports bras you wear to the gym, but retro-inspired sportswear that has plenty of personality. Kozarevic advises embracing pieces that are more “vintage-led in design” – such as the scarlet satin shorts by Simone Rocha that Higuchi is wearing in the opening image of our shoot (and look like they belong in an old-school boxing ring), or Loewe’s ’70s-inspired sneakers, which have colorful detailing and suede touches.
“Proenza Schouler’s NETTED midi has a WEIGHTINESS you don’t tend to get from NAKED dresses”
A flash of red
Red has been a dominant color in recent seasons, and given it’s emblematic of passion, power and drama, it’s the perfect hue for creating a commanding look. That ‘pop of red’ styling term, which emerged in 2023 and was quickly adopted by celebrity stylists, is clearly going nowhere this summer. Simone Rocha’s spring/summer 2024 collection was a tribute to red roses – and those aforementioned satin boxer shorts are sure to be a summer staple among the fashion crowd. For head-to-toe red, look to Matthieu Blazy at Bottega Veneta, who certainly understands how powerful this color can be in women’s wardrobes. This season, his little red dress is as fiery as it gets – crafted from leather, and with striking piping along the corset and a twisted neckline that snakes along the cleavage, it offers a new kind of bodycon.
“You can even use a SWIMSUIT as a bodysuit – this is a SAVVY approach to STYLING when minimal vacation packing is required”
Cuff it
When it comes to jewelry, this isn’t a time to be shy. Instead of anything dainty or subtle, stack up statement, sculpted cuffs by the likes of Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen – then finish off the look with chunky earrings, such as Khaite’s ‘Julius’ style, which wrap around the lobes. The Saint Laurent woman often has big chunks of gold and silver adorning both wrists, with a mix of shapes and clashing metals, such as dome-shaped gold cuffs sat alongside wavy silver bangles. These bold bracelets look beautiful layered over delicate, sheer fabrics, like the silk-tulle off-the-shoulder top by Christopher Esber in our opening shot. It’s all about the contrast – and using jewelry to add power to ethereal looks.
Texture play
The key to making sheer feel modern in 2024 is to embrace a look that is “romantic yet powerful”, according to Kozarevic. But instead of flamboyant, in-your-face styling, it “doesn’t have to be worn in obvious ways” and can be all about “the clever details”. Designers have been playing with texture, whether it’s statement fringed macramé or ruched, knotted and twisted tulle. Proenza Schouler’s netted midi has a weightiness you don’t tend to get from naked dresses. “I love mixing textures, as something softer paired against leather, for example, is always so chic,” says Kozarevic on how she artfully layered fabrics.
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