The Slip Dress Has Subverted the Industry: The Key Pieces Defining the Shift

The slip dress has never really been a symbol of the subversive, which is probably why when Kate Moss wore an iridescent transparent slip dress by Liza Bruce in 1993 (sans a bra and just a pair of briefs), the moment seared through into the zeitgeist. It was shocking and defined Moss as a rebellious figure that challenges the industry status quo. Ironically, Moss’s take doesn’t feel out of place 30 years later when fashion has collectively accepted nudity with open arms. Since then, the slip dress also slowly reconfigured itself as the basic piece that defines ’90s minimalism.

Recently, there have been reiterations with tongue-in-cheek expressions like “Got Milkweed?” from Collina Strada and coquette graphics of pastel-colored cakes and bows from Nodress. On the edgy side, labels like ACNE Studios and Christopher Kane have taken to deconstructing slip dresses altogether with double-layering and bust-exposing cutouts. Needless to say, slip dresses are evolving—here are 30 delightfully fresh takes on the wardrobe staple.