If paintings like Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring invoke a certain mood of class- it’s only natural that it would also reflect a specific fashion style as well. The 1500s were all about exaggerated silhouettes, billowing skirts and adding extravagant details like beading and embroidery. And with it, the thought of wearing such garments out leads to imagining lavish ball dances, vast mansion gardens to get lost in and perusing endlessly through museums. 

We obviously can’t go back to the ‘good ol’ renaissance age, but we can at least borrow inspiration from it. Throughout the last three years, I’ve seen a particular fashion trend pop up on my feed through Instagram, Pinterest and surprisingly TikTok. Corsets are suddenly no longer a 90s throwback, as they are often designed in a more ‘romantic’ manner. Chunky headbands invoke a sort of Anne Boleyn style french hood. Renaissance cupids are no longer seen strictly on paintings, but on bodycon dresses. 

Harling Ross from Repeller coined the term ‘Renaissancecore’ in an article addressing an upsurge of designers and influencers wearing clothing pieces seemingly inspired from this period. Think of peasant tops with extravagant patterns paired with coats, dresses and even pants with an additional jarring print. However, the trends that I’m seeing so far aren’t really dressing in this manner, as most of them put a more modern and simplistic twist to them. 

Apart from Renaissancecore, modern renaissance fashion is inspired mostly by cottage core with a hint of light academia. Both can be considered a more ‘romantic’ trend of clothing style- as it showcases lighter tones, muted colours, simplistic design, with a kind of ‘parisian’ aesthetic that ties the whole thing together. As a result, modern renaissance fashion is outwardly simplistic- but lavish in terms of what the clothing is made out of (like silk, tulle, tweed or jacquard). 

Designers like Cecilie Bahnsen, Erdem, Batsheva and Patou have invoked the trend of modern renaissance fashion by taking inspiration from the exaggerated silhouettes and lavish intricacies of that time period and making it more adaptable in this day and age. It’s all about achieving a certain silhouette through the use of layering certain patterns and textures to deliver a sense of elegance simplicity. 

So why is renaissance fashion making a 600 year comeback? I’m guessing it’s because of what we think of when we hear the word ‘renaissance.’ We usually think of elaborate garments that distinguish one certain class from the rest. We think of elegance, poise, manner and expense. Think of it almost like a ye ol’ version of hypebeast fashion in the 1400s. Additionally, the renaissance is a period that marks a big social and political change within that time period- which could very much reflect the modern period today, as we move further deeper into the digital age. 

In a way, the spreading trend of renaissance clothing pieces like silk corsets and floral peasant tops can also be seen as a way to maintain tradition without looking too ‘outdated.’ But by simply tucking said corsets into a pair of high waisted jeans, you are suddenly mashing two iconic fashion trends to create something oddly futuristic.