At the recent Paris Fashion Week, fashion houses like Thom Browne brought a maximalist tone to the runway. The brand showcased bold designs that prove maximalist trends are coming back.
Maximalism features extensive layering, bold colors and contrasting prints in fashion, architecture and home design.
After a trend hiatus, maximalism first notably reemerged on the runway in Gucci’s 2015 Fall/Winter show. Now it is being popularized on mainstream social media by fashion blogger Anna Golka-Yepez. Inspired by runway looks by Kenzo and Meadham Kirchoff, Golka-Yepez can be seen flaunting an array of patterns and colors that is undeniably eye-catching.
In her most viral TikToks, Golka-Yepez walks her 125k followers through the process of building an outfit. She often picks a piece of clothing to center the outfit around, then works to tie colors and patterns together in a way that works for her.
With all its layers and accessories, some people criticize maximalism for being excessive and wasteful. But, the style doesn’t have to be unsustainable. Anna Golka-Yepez thrifts her clothes from sites like Etsy and eBay and rents pieces through a subscription service called Nuuly. Her blog Here For the Fashion also features an online store full of thrifted vintage clothing for an affordable price.
So why is maximalism coming back? Maximalism originated in the 1960s and according to Jumpstart Magazine “it has a tendency to re-emerge after a prolonged period of hardship, tragedy or economic distress.” Post-pandemic, maximalism is thriving.
Golka-Yepez also saw a shift after quarantine. “The one thing that you really could control [during the pandemic] was what you were wearing, and that’s when I really started playing with print, started playing with shapes, and I realized I like this a lot more and I feel more me,” said Golka-Yepez.
However, not everyone is on board with the revival of this trend. Many users on TikTok are quick to bash maximalist runway looks and insist Golka-Yepez must be “joking” about her style.
“I don’t want [the hate] to bother me because honestly, it says so much more about them than it does about me. It’s really just like, wear what you want and be who you want,” Golka-Yepez said. “Just because I want to dress like a runway doesn’t mean I can’t.”
Even though maximalism is growing, minimalism isn’t going anywhere. Hermès featured monochrome looks in Paris Fashion Week 2023 while Louis Vuitton did the opposite, showing how both styles are in season.
Fashion may be entering its most diverse era yet with minimalist and maximalist trends co-existing. Major designers inspire celebrity looks while influencers like Golka-Yepez aim to inspire their community to dress how they want, whether that be minimally or maximally. The Spring/Summer showcase seen during Paris Fashion Week defined the upcoming season for fashion, and the increase in maximalist looks is extremely exciting.