A Love Letter to Mesh
Mesh has held a timeless place in the fashion community’s heart. Seen in everything from rave wear to goth looks to formal wear, the material has an extremely versatile look, allowing it to be integrated into a variety of styles and looks. It can be used to exude a type of casual sexiness or to represent the free-flow personality of its bearer.
Created in 1888 by British mill owner Lewis Haslam, mesh was initially designed as a breathable fabric that could trap heat for the gloom and chill of an overcast UK day. Haslam capitalized on the material’s practical usage with his brand, Aertex, integrating it into the British military uniform with garments like the Aertex bush shirt, which would see use in the Middle East. Sportswear brands, like Adidas, started to use the fabric in the 1980s, launching its popularity in the public sphere with channels like MTV and BET, where the fabric was donned by various celebrities. The fabric has seen a resurgence in recent years, with celebrities like TWICE’s Momo rocking a mesh bodysuit in their “Like OOH-AHH'' music video and Dua Lipa sporting a sleek mesh dress for GCDS’s fall/winter 2023 show. But the material hasn’t been limited to only pop culture looks.
Mesh’s role in high fashion isn’t one to be underestimated. In 1994, French designer Jean Paul Gaultier shocked the fashion industry with his collection “Les Tatouages,” which featured the material front and center. Les tatouages translates to “the tattoos” in French, which the show displayed religiously. From models with real tattoos to skin-tight shirts mimicking them, the catwalk saw ink recontextualized. The show utilized heavy Indian and African influences, and the runway was characterized by the mesmerizing personality of each model; displayed front and center. Vibrant colors and prints paired with gorgeous tribal jewelry sets streaked the runway, captivating the minds of fashion gurus everywhere. Ultimately, “Les Tatouages” was a show that left little to the imagination, as if Gaultier himself walked onto the runway and yelled, “This is what fashion should be - loud, crass, and chaotic.” As iconic as this show was, one piece in particular stood out: his mesh tattoo print. These form-fitting pieces embodied everything the show was: sexy, conspicuous, and full of personality. Gaultier’s androgynous mesh tattoo tops became so popular that he would reference the style again and again in shows like 2010’s “The G Spot.” The official Jean Paul Gaultier site even has a section dedicated to the designer’s “Tattoo Collection.” His usage of mesh is truly what makes these pieces so iconic. The material’s flexibility allows the pieces to act as a second skin for the wearer, and the garments’ semi-transparency creates an effortlessly sexy appeal that few designers have managed to replicate. This transparency also allows for these garments to act as layering pieces, with designs that distort and change based on how the piece is styled.
Undercover’s couture show for Spring/Summer 2024 saw the material in a much more orthodox setting. Formal attire is one of the hardest looks to experiment with while still being practical for the average person. Undercover’s usage of mesh brought an air of sophistication to the runway, with the material dripping from blazers and blouses. The brand managed to create playful yet practical garments that seemed to drench the models in texture. Aside from their formal wear, the brand also experimented with face masks that offered a simpler interpretation of their Fall/Winter 2006 show, which also featured mesh face masks. One standout from the show was Look 10, which featured a blazer swathed in a mesh cobweb, with spiders creeping down the model’s shoulders. Jun Takahashi’s masterful mesh utilization showed just how versatile the material is.
Margiela put on one of this season’s most talked-about shows. From its model’s suspenseful Silent Hill-esqe walks to the doll makeup that exploded on social media, the show contained some of the most exciting looks the fashion industry has seen in years. The show’s heavy hitters, however, were the mesh “nudist” Victorian-inspired dresses. Galliano’s use of layered mesh fabrics managed to create a look that both obscured the models’ true shape while simultaneously providing an almost voyeuristic view of the model’s bodies. Various aspects of the models were put on display due to the transparent nature of the mesh, yet distorted from the multitude of layers draped on their bodies. The usage of mesh and transparent materials alongside cinched corsets and doll makeup created the hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that defined this show. However, established fashion houses aren’t the only ones experimenting with mesh.
Jordan Arthur Smith, a young designer out of Ohio, has been making waves with his futuristic designs. The designer established himself as a trailblazer from the start with his first collection, “Collection 1,” which intended to mimic the Earth with its wavy, free-flowing tailoring. Seven collections later, the young designer has shown few signs of slowing, with his Fall/Winter 2023 collection “Erode Collection 3,” featuring a variety of pieces that explore fashion as a form of sculpture. This concept is evident throughout the collection, featuring pieces that sway and crumble, completely disregarding the model’s body and, instead, adopting a figure of its own. However, hidden in the collection’s obscuring of the human body are pieces that highlight the human form. Semi-transparent, pleated pieces that contort the model’s figure blur the lines between where the model’s body ends and the clothes begin. The Undyed Reversible Vena Glove Top’s meandering pleats distort the model’s silhouette and create a hazy look, while the Cropped Black Metamorphic Bubble Hoodie creates a black armor that can be stripped away to reveal a flowing mesh cocoon that highlights the human body. This collection allowed Smith and his team to utilize mesh as a means of reflecting on the variations we as humans undergo throughout our lives.
From its inception to the modern day, mesh has been a material that’s seeped into the fashion industry. It creates an avenue for designers to experiment with “undressing” models while allowing the wearer to expose their true selves to the world. In a world where individuality and personality are often suppressed, mesh has been the material breaking society’s chains.
Written by Zeeshan Khan, Photography: Mary Le, Social Media: Matthews Naranjo, Styling: Monica Ferretiz