Long before the 80s (and boho) were officially back in fashion, Isabel Marant was sending representatives down the runways. Now the acclaimed French fashion designer is celebrating her 30th anniversary. There was actually a dinner in her honor with fans of her brand, including Kate Bosworth and Ashley Graham. Her fanbase is much, much larger, however. Beyoncé, Kendall Jenner, Rihanna and Gisele Bündchen are just an impressive handful of established devotees. The cited selection is especially charmed by Marant's Bekett wedge sneakers. Which is totally understandable.
Ever wonder why so many stars rock her designs and ask to be seated in the front row of her fashion shows? Well, it's partially due to the fact that the designer hasn't just perfected the art of the 80s for the 2020s and boho 2.0. She's also masterfully incorporated the recently trending motocross movement by slipping collarless, slightly quilted leather jackets into her runway repertoire. She was also doing double denim before and, frankly, better than everyone else. See the designer's jean jumpsuits and, if that wasn't enough, denim footwear. Because why not go triple if you're going to go double?
Then there's the no pants look. While Miu Miu gets the credit for bringing the hotly contested trend to the masses, Marant was serving up barely-there hot pants all the way back in 2020. For Spring 2020, she styled a colorful geometric shirt with itty-bitty shorts and ankle-wrap sandals. Marant resurrected the trend for Spring 2024 by sending out a red hot leather set. Like other champions of the sans pants craze, Marant revealed several options in a variety of colors, materials and, perhaps most importantly, lengths.
Another reason why she still remains so popular? Marant is an arbiter of that coveted French girl chic aesthetic. It's more pared-down than other obsessions, like coquette dressing, cottagecore and cowboy core. Although Marant has definitely contributed to the latter. Think suede jackets and fringe on practically every little thing. While her style has certainly evolved over the years, she's managed to retain her identity, making it super easy to spot a model or a celeb flaunting a Marant creation.
So we've decided to join in on the celebration with a look back at some of our favorite Marant looks from recent runways. Some represent her unparalleled ability to make the 80s feel relevant to audiences today. Others exemplify why she's one of the queens of boho. No matter where you look, there's something truly special to behold.
