Of late we have seen celebrities worldwide embracing ensembles with hoods attached to them and making a statement on the red carpet. While these gowns and dresses are quite a gaze puller, this look might come across as a sudden resurfacing of a yesteryear trend, and it is so! We have to give credit to the US company Champion for introducing the first hooded sweatshirt in the 1930s. Many labels like the French luxury fashion house Yves Saint Laurent, which had first introduced the hooded gown on the runway in 1969, and designer Azzedine Alaïa’s work for Grace Jones in A View to A Kill later popularized the hooded silhouette on the runway and beyond in the 80s and 90s.
From Rihanna to Alessandra Ambrosio to our desi girl Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Mrunal Thakur to Jacqueline Fernandez, they have all been seen sporting hooded silhouettes and this 90s street style seems quite back in vogue. So much so that top fashion brands have picked up this trend and are constantly pushing the boundaries of street fashion in 2023.
Celebs see hooded gowns as an easy way to get noticed on the red carpet and at events. It adds a lot of drama and gets noticed easily. Celebs wearing such gowns not only amp up the attention they get but also drum up the visibility of the various brands they endorse.
The trend, however, has the potential to filter down from red carpets to everyday wardrobes. Fashion enthusiast Ira Aggarwal says: “I won’t be surprised if I see hooded gowns being worn at upper-class weddings and eventually becoming a mass thing. Its exclusivity lies in the fact that it is not restricted just to the red-carpet crowd. To a common woman, this will appeal as an extension of a hoodie in the most stylish way possible. It will be safe to say this particular fashion will first feature in winter wardrobes and finally make its way into the summer wardrobe too of fashion-conscious women.”
Gyanendu Baruah, a designer at Bower that makes chic hooded dresses, relies heavily on the functionality part of the attire. “This product is more utility oriented. A lot of research went into developing these pieces. The whole idea was to make dresses that are ergonomic in nature. During transitional seasons like autumn and spring, which can be both hot and cold, the ensemble should have multiple utilities. It can’t be just a pretty dress that you go out in with a jacket on top. It has to be a one-stop solution. So we ideated these dresses that are versatile in nature. This one has a lot of acceptance in India and the Middle East.”
Delhi-based designer Nitin Bal Chauhan asserts, “We come from a culture that does not rely upon cutting and stitching but relies more on drape... we have draped our saris and dupattas around our head for ages. Now coming to fashionistas, I’m sure some women would love to explore this element in their dress. Sweatshirt with a hood is an essential part of street fashion.”
In the past we have seen many trends coming in and dying an untimely death, as is the very nature of fast fashion. Are hooded dresses here to stay? Nitin explains, “Most high-street brands want to create looks inspired by high fashion. They want to create a brand recall among consumers and tell them that theirs is a very trendy, fashionable and contemporary brand. Many brands use such trends, say the hooded dress, as an exercise just to stay relevant. These dresses would sell, but I don’t think they would yield a very big sale. Hood is part of many cultures around the world, from Africa to Australia, Europe and South East Asia. This has got to do with it being a shield from the cold and the rains, coupled with the traditional factor. This trend has come from the functional side of our existence and has now been made part of our aesthetics in many variations by our designers.”
Hooded dresses, meant for the runway or not, can be not only very comfortable but also functional for new mothers and mothers-to-be. The reason why Bangalore-based The Mom Store added this extra level of utility two years back. “Hooded dresses can be comfortable to the point that you can wear these as loungewear too. In Indian climate, hoodie dresses are perfect, especially for winter when you can pair them up with leggings. Last year we sold out 800-900 pieces from our winter category. Random purchasers are those going abroad or going on a staycation in the hills. So there are a lot of situational purchases as well. The demand arises mostly in winter. Millennial moms want to be functional and chic at the same time. They want winterwear as a fashionwear,” said Devika Ravi, a senior designer with the brand.
Mohammed Javed Khan, creative director, Bower, feels that hoodie dresses are still in the experimentation stage currently. “In our total collection, the hooded jacket portion is not more than four-five per cent. Forecast says it will be trendy in the coming years. The whole design sensibilities are inspired by men’s workwear. Generally, you won’t see kangaroo pockets in a dress. We have tried to incorporate those fine details usually found in workwear, that is, industrial workwear. Hood in a feminine structure like a dress is almost like a fad. It may last for a season or two. That’s how many fashion trends work. First, it comes to celebrities and then these trends are picked up by high-end fashion brands; finally, it trickles down to retail stores. Hooded dresses are in a nascent stage right now and are majorly promoted by celebs or couture designers. They are not exactly catering to the retail sector right now. This trend might get dissolved after two-three seasons.”
Most designers believe fashion repeats itself. Be it hoodies or anything else, they never go out of fashion and have a tendency to come back. Hoodies are a perfect marriage between convenient and fashionable dressing. It’s especially fashionable for college students, as it does not make them look too flashy, or boring. Whether it is a coffee date or hanging out with friends, hoodie is one go-to style.
Hoodies conform to no particular season. “The youngsters prefer loose, trendy and funky clothes... we found out hoodie is something our customers want more, and we decided we would make more customisations…. We have been observing for four years now that there is more demand for them. It would be safe to assume Indians have adopted it from the West,” said Tanya Khosla, global head of fashion, Styched.