The return of the 1950s Riviera aesthetic The one-piece swimming costume, from the catwalks to the shoreline

«The ugly is attractive, the ugly is exciting,» stated Miuccia Prada in an interview for Show Studio in 2020. The comeback of the 1950s swimsuit, also known as the ugly swimsuit, in recent advertising campaigns, on catwalks, and even on red carpets demonstrates how contemporary fashion is still fascinated by the curiosity generated by a timeless garment, now considered "ugly". The most recent manifestation of this trend occurred at the Cannes Film Festival, where, for the photocall of the film Kind of Kindness, actress Hunter Schafer wore a custom-made dress by Prada which, according to stylist Dara Allen, was inspired by women's swimsuits in full "French Riviera" style. A body framed by ruffles, an apron tied at the waist, and a bandana gathering the hair, the look is halfway between a wedding dress and the uniform of a laundress (think of the stage costumes of the Second chorus of washerwomen in "La gatta Cenerentola").

The ugly swimsuit in fashion

While the ugly swimsuit in Fashion Week or at the Cannes Festival may seem fascinating, far from the glamour of the most attended social events it may struggle to fit into "normal" wardrobes. Journalist Lou Stoppard writes for Show Studio that to wear something ugly, you must have a tremendous amount of self-confidence. This choice challenges social norms because you wear a garment that "simply others do not want" or do not have the courage to wear. Behind what may seem just one of the many over-the-top trends that fashion proposes, there is a central reflection. When a garment is worn in contexts that do not normally belong to it, it automatically becomes ugly in the eyes of many. This complex countercurrent attitude, however, has always been rooted in the creative process of many designers, and perhaps that is precisely what drives yesterday's and today's trends more than ever. Or, as in this case, their comeback.