Kitsch is so in. She’s heady, flamboyant and bubbling with frothy fervour. Like the rise of Kasing Lung’s ever-famous Labubu doll, the obsession with everything we used to (and still do) love as a child has been flying off the racks and landing straight onto our daily possessions. The amalgamation of micro-trends in fashion—from bag charms to plushiecore—is all but a big shoutout to the current swing towards individual expression. Even fashion’s biggest It girl Jennie turned up on her recent Jimmy Kimmel Live stage in a pair of utensil-adorned shorts, dancing to her hot girl anthem ‘Mantra’. So as it turns out, we’re all in need of that bit of playful escapism and exuberant Y2K maximalism.
After all, there’s nothing more fun than rekindling the nostalgic joy of your childhood. It’s only a delightful, merry trip down memory lane, if anything. Kitsch may have once been a reference to anything mass-produced—the very antithesis of ‘highbrow’ art one might have said—but anyone who’s seen its claim to the luxury fashion scene throughout the decades can hardly say the same. Its naivete became its very appeal; the very canvas which has inspired some of the most maximalist collections known to us today. Recall the influence of Andy Warhol on the works of Donatella Versace and Raf Simons for Calvin Klein, or the comic book fantasy at Prada’s spring/summer 2018 men’s show.
Closer to home, the resurgence of kitsch is intrinsically linked to the influence of Japanese kawaii culture; the culture of cuteness that has propelled the popularity of famous mascots and beloved characters, from Sanrio’s Hello Kitty and Kuromi to the likes of Totoro and Pikachu. And as the zeitgeist veers towards self-expression, it seems that the quirky, impossibly large world of our childhood dreams has only resolved to recapture our very whims and fantasies. Suffice to say, everyone’s been a whole load happier for it.
Below, some of the most kitschy accessories and fashion jewellery you’ll adore right from the get-go. Some will call it child’s play, but you’re bound to have the last laugh.
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Cece Jewellery A Traveller's Tale signet ring, $23,066
Available at Liberty London.
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Miao Atelier enchanted orb pendant, $87
Available at Miao Atelier.
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Denise Chong Adornments DCA x Metal upcycled necklace, $109
Available at Denise Chong.
