From sunglasses to bucket hats, these denim accessories are taking over Spring Summer'23.
Arushi Sakhuja
One perennial fact is that fashion is cyclical and constantly draws inspiration from the past with refreshing twists. To be fair, nothing is ever wholly new, rather it's just an element from the past that has been revived with new iterations. This then explains why some trends, silhouettes and styles seem fairly familiar or have made a comeback.....such was the case for me with the revival of denim and denim accessories. The material is going to be incorporated into way more wardrobe elements than just pants. The Spring/Summer ‘23 runway shows were all about denim in non-traditional ways. From denim maxi skirts at the Burberry show, oversized shirts at Blumarine, and denim-patterned mesh at Diesel, you’ll have your pick from plenty of versatile styling options.
Denim and denim accessories are far from new, the classic has existed for years now and each season the fabric gets an upgrade. We've seen a prevalence of this fabric from jackets to skinny jeans, boot cuts and even wide-legged denim. But denim has reigned supreme and continues to do so. Not only has the head-to-toe denim trend re-emerged, but rather statement also making accessories too are taking over the scene. "Denim became increasingly popular in the late 1800s. Once it became a popular material for clothing, the next step was it being repurposed into making accessories. The denim accessories trend in 2023 is inspired by the past but is amalgamated with existing colours, cuts, and prints that are more currently trending," said Shaan Shah, CMO, of Freakins India. Reports suggest the global denim market will reach a value of $76.1 billion by 2026 and thus it’s no surprise that luxury fashion houses are creeping into the category. Luxury denim was a point of focus for Spring 2023 in every fashion capital. From ultra-wide legs and a matching shirt at Burberry, bell-legged flares paired with a raffia corset at Jacquemus, and distressed oversized cargo pants — a key piece from Givenchy and at Versace Donatella gave jeans the acid-washed and neon-painted treatment. We can attribute this shift to the casual way people are dressing in their post-lockdown lives. Although full monochromatic denim looks are in, for some, they may appear intimidating, denim accessories are a fresh alternative to incorporate the trend into your look.
Spring Summer 2023 Runway
Just when you thought you couldn’t possibly fit another pair of jeans in your over-stuffed closet—a new way to indulge your denim obsession emerges denim accessories! You’ve already mastered this season’s best jeans, overalls jackets, and more but a true denim head’s collection isn’t complete without a baby blue Chanel bag, frayed stilettos, hats, belts and patchwork boots!
During the showcase of fall/winter 2022-2023 collections, denim accessories started creeping back onto the runways. But it was only with the release of spring-summer 2023 collections that the trend became omnipresent. Gone are the days when denim was limited to skirts, jackets and pants. From couture gowns to saris, crystal-embellished tote bags, bucket hats, belts and footwear, the SS23 runways witnessed denim fashion in more ways than one. Standing the test of time denim is beyond a trend it’s a fashion staple. There's no longer a question of IF one should wear the fabric, but rather HOW it should be worn, and for spring/summer 2023 denim styles run the gamut, leaving no sartorial cravings unsatisfied.
When Rihanna came out with denim thigh-high belted boots in collaboration with Manolo Blahnik, the fashion world was mesmerized at how an everyday fabric was reimagined and used to create something so dreamy and decadent. In 2018, Louis Vuitton denim hats appeared on the men's Spring Summer runway and Balmain's lace-up denim boots were one of the most exciting trends. No matter which way you look at it, there’s no denying that regardless of the season, fashion’s obsession with denim is unwavering.
While some trends start from the runway others start from the streets, and if one were to trace back the origins of denim, it can be found to have originated as a hip-street style everyday staple. But runways soon caught on to the trend and the trickle-up theory – when fashion trends move from the streets to the runway instead of vice versa – came into existence. Soon enough denim dungarees were spotted on the runway alongside embellished jeans, jackets and more. Today brands have not spotted innovating with the fabric but have pushed their boundaries further to add a new category of accessories and footwear. it's clear after looking at recent runway and street style images that this formerly dated trend has gotten a daring upgrade.
The rise of denim accessories in 2023
Miu Miu recently reimagined the New Balance 574 as $975 denim-clad kicks. The co-branded sneaker boasts raw-cut fringe edges and is available in marbleized cognac denim and indigo denim. The collaboration complements Miu Miu’s other denim sneaker, a $1,020 low-top lace-up adorned with crystals. Loewe’s $950 sneaker also became a talking point for the industry. in Givenchy's spring/summer 2023 collection, Bella Hadid wore a denim bralette and a low-slung matching skirt while carrying an oversize denim hobo bag. Then, at Sergio Hudson, a denim suit was styled with a matching denim trunk bag from Brandon Blackwood. At Diesel, Creative Director Glenn Martens used techniques like distressing to add depth to his denim pieces and had everything from bags to shoes made from fabric.
But that's not all Jacequemus and Chanel too have created denim iterations of their iconic styles. Bottega Veneta's Jodie Teen Denim Effect Leather Bag has a unique denim effect finish that adds a modern edge to the classic silhouette. And what’s chicer than a Gucci horse-bit 1955 bag that comes with a denim twist? Shades of blue have arrived at Fendi with a contemporary twist on the nostalgic denim style. The Fendi First bag is embroidered with the Karligraphy motif in a seamless tone-on-tone texture, it brings out the woven textures of denim, elevating your overall look. But it's not just designers that have taken to this trend… so have fashion enthusiasts.
Denim however emerged as an everyday fabric and continues to be a key staple even for high fashion brands. From Gap to Zara, ASICS and Charles and Keith, high fashion brands to are releasing a lineup of denim accessories. Australian brand Peta + Jain recently dropped a denim handbag collection with the content creator, Em Davies. The collection features nylon and vegan leather shoulder bags and travel bags as well as a light-wash denim shoulder bag. For Shah, "the best part about denim accessories is their durability; other materials wear down faster with more frequent use in comparison to denim. In 2023, one of the most commonly seen denim accessories would be bucket hats and tote bags and docker caps in denim would make for a great accessory too."
And while the denim-on-denim trend is here to stay with Kiara's Advani's newest campaign for Mango India, so is the denim accessory trend!