The Cannes film festival’s red carpet epitomizes glamour and meticulous styling. Each gown and hair strand undergoes meticulous scrutiny by stylists and “glam squads”. So when film director Greta Gerwig, Cannes jury president, appeared in a wrinkled dress, it raised eyebrows. However, Gerwig’s intentional choice of a hot-pink Balenciaga couture gown, corrugated like a hot tin roof, challenges conventional notions of perfection.
Her crinkled couture reflects a broader trend where imperfections are celebrated. The decline of ironing among millennials and Generation Z mirrors this shift. A recent study revealed that one in three individuals under 35 don’t own an iron, attributing reasons from not owning clothes needing ironing to simply disliking the task.
Weddings and job interviews remain the rare occasions prompting iron usage among younger demographics. Despite a fear of facial wrinkles, this generation embraces creases in their clothing, opting for convenience and comfort over traditional norms.
Popularized by “hack” videos on platforms like TikTok, alternatives to ironing emerge, including using hair straighteners and crease-release sprays. Brands like Steamery offer handheld steamers as chic alternatives to conventional irons.
The backstory of high fashion’s affinity for creases traces back to designers like Prada and Balenciaga, where deliberate creases signify garments with a story to tell. Now, both high-end and high-street brands endorse crumpled clothing, with labels like Maticevski and Tibi championing architectural folds and deliberately rumpled fabrics.
The crinkle trend extends beyond fashion into interiors, with crinkled linen tablecloths replacing meticulously ironed ones. This embrace of imperfection challenges conventional notions of elegance, embodying the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi – finding beauty in transience and imperfection.
While ironing will remain a necessity for some, embracing intentional creases offers a contemporary take on elegance. Pairing neatly pressed garments with crinkled elements exudes effortless sophistication, proving that imperfection can be the ultimate form of beauty.