Snow Xue Gao Fall 2023 Ready-to-Wear Collection

Photos of Lana Del Ray in her “Born to Die” era, protests from the feminist movement, and retro ’60s florals were pinned to Snow Xue Gao’s fall 2023 mood board. Having been inspired by a photo of leggy young Brits walking around with signs that said “Mini Skirts Forever” outside the Christian Dior show in 1966, Gao decided her fall 2023 collection would channel the dawning of the women’s rights movement. Skirts and dresses in an array of prints, from florals to punk-ish checks and plaids, all came in a variety of above-the-knee hemlines, while masculine wool coats and blazers complemented each look. To further counterbalance the femininity of the looks, each outfit was paired with Doc Martens, fitting shoes for stomping around at protests.

“I was doing a lot of research on the feminist movement in the ’60s. The women were yelling on the streets but at the same time were so dressed up, and I was really inspired by the attitude of that period,” said Gao. Why is the mini trending again? Maybe because what we need now more than ever is more female empowerment.