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Style
MERMAIDCORE: THE TREND THAT WILL TAKE YOU UNDER THE SEA
By Amandine Rouhaud | March 29, 2023
Ready to dive into the deep blue sea with the trend of the moment? The marine world and the universe of The Little Mermaid - to be released May 26th - has inspired the biggest names in fashion to offer a summer of seashells and seashores. We're talking peak mermaidcore.
Under the sea, that's where fashion's been heading recently. An ocean breeze is blowing across the fashion world and marine inspirations are rising like the tides. What are we seeing? The iconic figure of the mermaid, half woman, half fish, as a real muse on the runways. We're thinking about Ludovic de Saint Sernin who presented his Spring-Summer 2023 collection with models with wet hair and tight-fitting, sequinned clothing.
Ludovic de Saint Sernin runway show, SS23
Germanier, FW 23/24
The most popular shade for mermaidcore in 2023? Blue. Blue like the ocean and the waves sparkling in the sun. Deep blue, gentle blue, or greenish blue. It's not surprising that, recently, a wave of blue has unfurled on the runways of the biggest names in fashion -Coperni or Rotate, to name just two!
At several metres of depth, bathed in rays of sun, colours take on lovely, iridescent nuances. Translated sartorially, these shimmering rays are expressed through sequins, mesh and lightly transparent materials. It's your turn to play the water nymph of the night!
Inseparable from the underwater world and its treasures, the pearl is exhibited as a pretty treasure. Whether as jewellery around your neck, in your ears or on your wrists...and also accessorising your bags, turning them into treasure chests.
Pearls delight the designer Germanier, who designed extravagant bags adorned with multicolour sequins. The ideal compromise for surfing the waves of mermaidcore, with a (small) added dose of audacity!
If going for the full mermaid look poses a challenge for your everyday landlocked life, seashell jewellery is an excellent alternative and good way to add a little marine accent to any look. Whether as swirling shells hanging from earrings or shells with holographic reflections adorning bracelets, it doesn't matter: you will see the sea.
Mythical, yes. But the mystical figure of the mermaid wasn't always the pretty version that we get in The Little Mermaid, who lives under the sea and wishes she was a human. Two origin stories come face to face: the Scandinavian version about a marine creature and the Greek version, wherein the siren is half woman, half bird. Whatever forms these mythical creatures take, their mission has always been the same: to lure in sailors and drive them to their death.
Behind these disastrous destinies, a fascination for mermaids and their worlds has evolved over time to maintain an image of a fantastical magical creature. First through the 19th-century Andersen fairy tale and then by the classic Disney version: The Little Mermaid. It's hard to deny Ariel's impact on young girls around the world. The destiny of this little mermaid has fuelled many under-sea fantasies. After all, her best friends are a fish and a crab!
In the various interpretations of the myth, the mermaid always has a magic touch. Consider the film Splash, released in 1984, in which Tom Hanks falls desperately in love with a mermaid. On land, the young woman has two legs. But if even the tiniest splash of water touches her, a sublime, sparking coral-scaled tail appears!
Spread the word: The mermaidcore trend is made for social media. On TikTok, the videos are multiplying. Of course, the upcoming release of the live-action Disney film with Halle Bailey in the title role is only strengthening the hype around the myth. More mermaidcore, please!