If you don’t know what we mean by that Miu Miu set, then you must have been living under a rock for the past year. The set in question debuted on the Spring 2022 ready-to-wear runway last autumn and since then, it has quite literally been everywhere.
The set encompasses a micro mini skirt that sits on the hips, a super cropped knit and a shirt combo with retro-inspired kitten heel loafers. It’s inspired a slew of trends, from the overarching aesthetic of ‘old money-core’ to the micro-mini skirts we will be seeing everywhere the second the temperature reaches leg-baring highs.
On the runway of Miu Miu. Image credit: Alamy Images
The list of stars and models who have sported the look is endless, from Hailey Bieber, Nicole Kidman, Zendaya, Saweetie, Lara Stone and Emily Rajikowski to name a few. And while each of them looks sublime in the set, choosing to wear it in a variety of colour combinations and to a collection of events, we couldn’t help but notice that it was only being seen on stars who perfectly fit the beauty standards in society. Slim women with beautifully toned stomachs.
The most recent outing for the set, however, saw it on the plus-sized model, Paloma Elsesser. The star appeared on the cover of ID magazine in the iconic set (which now has its own Instagram account @miumiuset) and set social media alight with a discourse on the set Paloma’s size and the implications of the skirt on a larger body.
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Firstly, we must mention how stunning the model looks in the set and how happy we are for the representation of a natural and honest body type. However, the look shot has to lead to a conversation around the inclusivity of the cover image.
As is often the case with designers, Miu Miu is not size-inclusive and their ready-to-wear only extends to a UK size 14, whilst Elsesser is a UK 16. Therefore, the set worn by the model on the cover is a custom piece and not available to the masses (although it’s Miu Miu so is it available to the masses). In this context, the representation takes on a performative quality and somewhat diminishes the notion of inclusion by putting an even higher price stamp on it.
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We love the preppy little skirt set and can’t wait to see who wears it next, but we can’t help but wish for a more inclusive design.
Tweet us your thoughts @Fashion_North.
