Why the bearskin is the real trend of the season From Gucci's glamorous declination to Burberry's hunting twist

Between Yeti boots and faux fur, the catwalks of recent years have welcomed furry clothing with open arms, thanks to the Y2K revival that has seen Gen Z incorporate furry accessories like belts and earmuffs into their looks over the past three years. But a new hairy protagonist triumphed on the FW23 catwalks, the headgear historically associated with the Soviet army: the bearskin, also known as the ušanka. From the glamorous declination of Gucci to the hunting attire of Daniel Lee at Burberry and the hats with medals of Nigo at Kenzo, via Dsquared2, Casablanca, Patou: the brands gave their own interpretation to a trend that will conquer the streets and feeds following the success of the Muppet Hat, which adorned the head of the celebrity Olympus in 2021, from Rihanna to Rosalia.

Fashion's passion for oversized accessories has often been expressed through the bearskin since the 1980s, when the opulence of old-money fur (now faux fur) also declined in headwear. Moncler Grenoble's vitamin-enriched colbacs for FW16, matched with Yeti boots, echo the range of colours from baby pink to optical white of Chanel's FW94. Prada's FW19 saw the Ushanka reach the pinnacle of utilitarianism. It was made of nylon and lined with fur on the inside to be both warm and waterproof. Those by Miu Miu FW17 were round rather than square, a departure from the Muppet hat, reminiscent of the eccentric accessories of Marc Jacobs' FW13. Saint Laurent's FW01 was a tribute to the hat in its most classic form, while Martin Margiela's FW10 took the accessory to its most extreme proportions, given a sad patina by the black veil that covered the models' faces. But the biggest hats fan remains John Galliano, fashion's enfant terrible, who explored the shapes and colours of the accessory during his time at Dior, from FW02 to FW04, all the way to the feathers of 2002 haute couture. Are you ready to see Gen Z in bearskin and jeans? Because it's going to happen very soon.