“The whole place was dressed to the nines”: Is 2023 fashion’s ‘Red Era’?

The first two months of 2023 have offered up some truly outstanding moments in pop culture thus far: including, in my opinion, fashion’s ‘Red Era.’ When you hear Red Era you might think of breakup songs, emotional ballads about innocence, and of course, the ultimate smack-down of Jake Gyllenhaal, but the 2023 fashion cycle has offered up some eye-catching moments these past couple weeks that are working towards earning a share of the title.

The moment that struck me (and a lot of people) first was Doja Cat’s viral moment at Schiaparelli Spring Haute Couture 2023 in late January. The singer-songwriter and rapper has been showing off some avant-garde looks for a while now, but her appearance at the fashion show done by Pat McGrath sparked a viral moment on a whole other level. Makeup influencers across social media jumped at the opportunity to recreate the look, which consisted of both red body paint and 30,000 red Swarovski crystals. Vogue France’s Marie Bladt wrote that McGrath’s work on it was “an altogether new dimension of body and face art.” Doja Cat inspired swathes of people to try out avant-garde makeup that they may not have tried otherwise. The look captivated audiences both inside and outside of the fashion world, but it wasn’t the only one.

Rihanna caught everyone’s attention at the Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show this year with her landmark performance in which she wore a monochromatic Loewe ensemble in red. Insider writer Samantha Grindell noted the look, specifically the Alaïa jacket Rihanna donned during “Umbrella” and “Diamonds” as a tribute to late fashion editor and collaborator André Leon Talley. On social media, as people recreate choreography from the performance, dressing up in full, monochromatic red has become a trend in and of itself. Rihanna’s red look caught the minds and hearts of the fashion world and beyond, in what is surely being added to the roster of her most recognizable fashion moments.

So what is it about red that makes it such a timeless, attention-grabbing colour? The Fashion Institute of Technology writes, “[F]or millennia, wearing red clothes expressed legitimization of social status, political authority, religious rank, ancestry, and cultural identity.” Even today, the colour still represents intensity, confidence, and power. And, while red has been used to signify this for as long as we can remember, the modern presence of eye-catching red ensembles has become the brand of Maison Valentino, whose haute couture shows, ready-to-wear collections, and even makeup line each heavily feature Valentino’s signature bright red hue.

And, based on the current trajectory of viral fashion moments, red may remain a centrepiece in the future of the 2023 trend cycle. MSCHF’s Big Red Boots caused a stir on social media earlier this month for their cartoonish appearance. The attention-grabbing statement piece was the centre of a debate on viral marketing, surrealist fashion, and just how to style a boot that looks like it belongs on a stylish astronaut doing a catwalk on the moon. Kim Petras, Sam Smith and Co. (Including Violet Chachki, Gottmik, and others) all showed up to the Grammys on February 5 in various red ensembles, making one of the most memorable red carpet appearances from the awards show. Plus, with the ascendancy of maximalism and other eclectic, expressive fashion entering the mainstream, bright, confident colours like red will have a strong place in the palettes of designers and stylists alike.