By Susan Schwartz
I knew something was up when I saw a model strut down the runway in Milan with a leather handbag shaped like a giant dumpling.
But her ribs told me she was the kind of girl who needed more than just a dumpling – she needed a full banquet – the type you can eat, the type where there are multiple courses and sides of various sauces that no one knows the name of.
From Paris to Paddington, fashion has developed an appetite for food. And it’s no longer confined to runways showing replicas of croissants, pineapples or cheeky novelty t-shirts. It’s become a bona fide trend in high fashion advertising and branding. And frankly, reserve me a table.
First there were Moschino’s infamous Happy Meal bags, Balenciaga’s $3000 potato chip bag clutch, and Kate Spade’s 3D pretzel bag.
Saint Laurent’s most recent campaign features models picnicking on trifle and quaffing pineapple cake. Titled An Ordinary Day, the luxury brand is depicted in everyday situations. There’s the sold-out Bea leopard tote used to lug vegetables, and toast served with jewels and jam.
Relatively young brand Jacquemus has famously incorporated croissants, baked baguettes, and large slabs of butter into his campaigns that carry the allure of southern France. Kim Kardashian’s shape wear line Skims also loves a good foodie opportunity – whether she’s sipping on a whipped cream milkshake, whipping up an extra tall stack of fluffy pancakes, or coyly sitting next to a burger, the woman loves her food.
Anya Hindmarsh has taken it one step further and launched her own brand of ice cream that you can actually eat. Her flavours are inspired by iconic English pantry staples such as Heinz tomato ketchup, Birds Eye peas, Jaffa Cakes, Bisto gravy, and Sarson vinegar.
So why is high fashion flirting with food like it’s on a first date with dessert?
Food taps into something primal. It seduces. It comforts. And crucially, it cuts through pretension to the fun stuff. When fashion gets too highfalutin’ for its own good, a cheeky noodle motif, or a dress shaped like a meringue puff brings it back down to earth—and onto our social feeds.
It’s also Instagram gold. In our age of the attention economy, nothing garners likes faster than the unexpected. A designer bag? Nice. A designer bag perched in a steaming bowl of pho? Viral.
There’s something about the colourful, graphic, relatability of food that fashion has managed to elevate in all of its whimsical, kitschy glory.
We might not all wear couture, but we’ve all eaten cake.
Food makes fashion less intimidating. A model in head-to-toe sequins might scare you. But put her next to a pineapple cake and suddenly she’s your friend.
This might explain why fine jewellery brands are also getting in on the act. Take for instance, Nadine Ghosn‘s $37,000 hamburger ring, which features seven rings – with a sesame bun, tomato sauce, melted cheese, meat patty, lettuce, onion, tomato and mustard. As the brand says it’s “inspired by something that unites us all – food.”
Food is not just unifying, it also can convey a sense of luxury, and attitude.
As the cost of living rises, and people spend more on experiences than things, securing that hard-to-get restaurant reservation has become a status symbol, and brands are tapping into that wannabe foodie culture.
Is it ridiculous? Absolutely. Is it effective? Oh yes.
And maybe, just maybe, this trend is also a little reminder to not take fashion—or ourselves—too seriously. In a world that feels increasingly heavy, a little edible whimsy goes a long way.
So the next time you see a croissant-shaped hat or a model covered in gelato, don’t ask why. Ask: Can I pull that off? And then treat yourself to a snack. Because in this new era of style, your appetite is your best accessory.
