It's Time to Reimagine Fishnet Tights

For Emily Bode Aulja’s highly anticipated womenswear debut this Paris Fall '23 men's fashion week, the eponymous designer showed piece after sentimental piece that immortalized important women from her (and her mother’s) past. Think glamorous frocks reminiscent of the ‘20s or '70s-friendly chunky knitwear. Compounded, her overall ensembles often skewed nostalgic with rich, ornamental fabrics and nostalgic silhouettes. Bode cut through all of that with the simple addition of black fishnet stockings.

In one look, the designer paired these fine-knit mesh tights with an embroidered mustard yellow set, consisting of a cropped tank and shorts. In another, said stockings emerge from beneath a red velvet knee-length dress trimmed in gold and embellished with tassels. The close weave of the tights opens up in the company of a stately embroidered blue coat and later a '20s-era drop-waist sheer dress. For the menswear looks, the fishnets take on the role of socks, peeking from beneath the legs of trousers. All of which, she paired with variations of simple black round-toe flats.

For the Maison Margiela show that followed shortly after, designer John Galliano opted for a cropped rendition of fishnet tights—essentially fishnet leggings. He made the case for tucking your blouse into your tights ballerina-style with a white Peter Pan collar blouse stuffed inside their waistband. One ensemble featured them styled beneath a ladylike skirt—artistically disheveled Margiela-style, of course. The finale look features said cropped tights tucked into the black knee-high socks featured prominently across the men’s ensembles in the collection. The footwear for the pairings of this collection ranges from Tabi oxfords and heels rendered in everything from patent leather to glitter to satin.

Similar styling ideas can be found among instagram style aficionados Bianca Miró Scrimieri, Bárbara Santiago, and The Row’s most loyal patron Neelam Ahooja (the aforementioned brand tossed fishnets into their own equation to contrast a conservative look in their Fall ‘22 collection). Across all these integrations, the intrigue lies in the more ironic pairings where the tights’ rather salacious connotation is challenged by either the ultra feminine or the ultra polished. Thanks to those clever sartorial decisions, they take on a whole new life on these runways. Now, we'll watch and see if the same can be said for the streets.