The eternal shine of the little black dress - in a new light

March 2, 2024

When the American Vogue first introduced the revolutionary little black dress on its pages in 1926, accompanied by an illustration, Coco Chanel prophetically described it as a garment that would “become the uniform of all women of good taste.” And was right.

From the 1920s to the present day, the little black dress has established itself as a symbol of eternal classic and a synonym for elegance that does not fade regardless of the trends that come and go. Its popularity in its early, tender years was sponsored by Hollywood, which preferred it as a “uniform” during the era of black-and-white film, making the elegant little black dress synonymous with actresses who carried the femme fatale reputation. Seductiveness and good style weaved through every inch of it in the decades that followed, with special attention given in the 1960s, which, on the wings of the sexual revolution and women’s liberation, further shortened it. Although the decade began when Audrey Hepburn walked the film screen in a long black dress by Hubert de Givenchy in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” styling the little tight black dress with a string of pearls became synonymous with untouchable glamour.

From the moment Coco Chanel presented it to the world in the 1920s, the eternal dress became a canvas that almost every designer wanted to weave something of their own into. Although it has moved away from its basic principles, the little black dress has retained the same charm and the same note of seductiveness it once had, and new variations, as with every season so far, also graced the runways in the fall/winter 2024 collections. Ultra-short models shone on the runways from Tom Ford, Schiaparelli, Givenchy, Giambattista Valli to Ferragamo, as well as many others, proving once again that the little black dress is a garment that will function in every collection and that will, ultimately, also surely be worn. Although the models of these fashion names differ and each has brought their own vision to the iconic dress, what they have in common is that they all serve as a good reminder that the charm of the little black dress does not fade and that we will always return to it, precisely because it is so timeless and versatile.