There is a carnival in town. Additionally, it carried with it a rejection of clowns in all guises and masks that has engulfed society, designers, and celebrities alike. The trend of dressing like the stars of a circus performance, where bright colors and exaggerated silhouettes shine, is known as “Clowncore” in the TikTok community, where the hashtag has amassed more than 500 million views. These characteristics are what made Loewe and Bottega Veneta’s “inflatable” accessories or MSCHF’s enormous red boots a viral success. Actors and pop stars, in contrast, have chosen to make the clownish vibe further in a gentler way, drawing inspiration primarily from the characters of Harlequin and Pierrot, who are undoubtedly the chicest clowns around. While the Chinese platform embraces the more exaggerated, fun, and outlandish side of this aesthetic, mixing patterns, colors, shapes, and eccentric details to add a touch of madness to everyday drabness.

Harry Styles has frequently played down his status as a modern sex symbol on the guidance of his stylist Harry Lambert, imitating icons like David Bowie and Freddie Mercury. He has not only embraced gender-neutral attire but has also dressed up on numerous occasions, including the red carpet. He donned an Egonlab x Swarovski model to the most recent Grammy Awards; it was a catsuit with bell-bottoms and a roomy square neckline covered in colorful diamonds set with 250,000 crystals all over. He emerged on stage for his Love On Tour wearing a sad clown outfit made by Gucci. When Emma Corrin donned a black and white outfit by Miu Miu to the virtual Golden Globes 2021, Pierrot served as her primary fashion inspiration. The BODE jumpsuit Michelle Williams wore in a photo shoot for W Magazine and the latex suit Sam Smith selected for the Brit Awards 2023, on the other hand, were both influenced by oversized dresses. As it was for Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker and Bill Skarsgrd’s Pennywise, the premiere of Joker: Folie à Deux in theaters will serve as the catalyst for clown mania in the upcoming months. The project is still a top-secret one, but the first images of Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn in a bustier top, a red satin jacket with tulle sleeves, a leather miniskirt, and sheer black stockings—all decorated with the distinctive Harlequin diamond pattern—seem to foreshadow the major pattern of the upcoming months. The spring 2023 couture catwalks can be interpreted as foreshadowing the Harley Quinn impact. The Harlequin-inspired clothing at Armani Privè’s runway show featured light, curvy maxi dresses with Pierrot-inspired ruffles and diamond-encrusted accents. The collection was presented in hues of teal, mauve, light blue, and gold, which echoed the rococo interiors of Venetian palaces and, most importantly, the most well-known figure from the centuries-old Venetian Commedia dell’Arte. In contrast, the Josephine Baker-inspired clown necks at Dior and the top hats and decorative bows at Chanel on the models brought to mind the carnival. What about Marni’s FW23 runway presentation in Japan, which featured ludicrously voluminous silhouettes and forms that were ideal for a clown costume? These are just the most recent instances of the connection between fashion and clowns, along with Christopher John Rogers’ Pre-Fall 2023 collection with its dramatic ivory-white models. Even though the earliest documented clowns were in Egypt during the Fifth Dynasty, around 2400 BC, designers have been drawing inspiration from their costumes for decades. Elsa Schiaparelli, who debuted the Circus collection in 1938 and was one of the first designers to be captivated by clowns, created jackets with feathered, dancing horses and Jean Schlumberger’s acrobat buttons. Following suit, Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano, Dior, and Moschino displayed a variety of outfits that drew inspiration from the quirky allure of clowns like Pierrot and Harlequin. Do you recall the 2011 fall fashion show featuring Bella Hadid as Harlequin and Karlie Kloss as Pierrot on the Moschino SS20 catwalk? Then you should freshen up on your abilities because in the upcoming months, our looks might be characterized by color, exaggerated volumes, diamond patterns, and ruffles, favored by the desire for something unconventional, outlandish, and edgy as a substitute for.