Shimmer into Summer

The word “sequin” originates from the Arabic word ‘sikka’, meaning coin – which stemmed from the common ancient practice of sewing coins onto your clothing to exhibit wealth and keep your money close. But in the 1920s when King Tutankhamun’s tomb was discovered, the flurry of Egyptomania saw the sequin make a major comeback. As gilded relics were unearthed so too were robes embellished with circular discs, which went on to inspire the dress of 1920s flappers.

Sequins later shimmied on the dance floor in the 1970s as disco fever swept the globe with designers like Paco Rabanne, Bob Mackie and Halpern leading the party. Metallics, bright colours, big hair and platform shoes became the uniform of the new musical movement, while the sequin – which shimmered like a disco ball under the light – became the motif of the moment. But since then, sequins have remained largely confined to after-dark hours and special occasions.

Fashion designer Ashish Gupta has been toying with sequins ever since he founded his namesake brand. A master in putting an everyday spin on these dazzling discs, Ashish reimagines casual silhouettes like hoodies, jeans, and T-shirts, injecting them with what he calls “sequin serotonin”.

Miu Miu left a lot of knickers in a twist, when it sent £4,000 sequin-emblazoned brief, over denier tights and awkwardly tucked-in knits, down its autumn/winter 2023 last year. And while we're not planning on forking out for diamond-encrusted undies, adding a touch of sparkle to an ordinary outfit can be an effective styling tweak for summer.

Think Kate Moss’s London cab dress code, resurrected by our Fashion Director Caroline Issa in one of Huishan Zhang’s finest skirt-bomber two pieces and an easy denim shirt. Or JW Anderson loose sequin tote bags and bejewelled summer tank tops. From Paco Rabanne's off-duty mixed metallics to Miu Miu embellished field jackets and woollen overcoats, plus the grand return of the sequin minidress, the autumn/winter 2024 runways were shining!