Mesh: A 2015 fashion trend from 1888

Mesh is a hot trend in 2015, but did you know the fashion is 127 years old? Vv Magazine’s Sarah Botelho reports.  

Trends come and go, but intricately woven fabric with small air pocket holes is forever. Or at least, that’s what Spring Fashion Week told us.

Mesh is everywhere. The trend once synonymous with strippers, trashy 80s teens and kitschy fashion is back with a new look. In 2015, mesh adds a subtle, sporty flair to any outfit – if you do it right. But to properly understand the ins and outs of mesh, we’ve got to travel a few stitches back in time.

Though most credit the 80s for birthing the trend, people were mesh-obsessed way before the Material Girl started reppin’ it. As the story goes, it all began in 1888 when a wealthy British mill owner named Lewis Haslam was out for a leisurely stroll with his aunt. When he pointed out that her gloves had a few holes through them, she replied that her hands were still warm despite the imperfect perforations.

And thus, an idea was born.

Haslam began experimenting with air pockets until he created the original mesh, Aertex, which was marketed as the “perfect hygiene” in the face of “harmful changes in temperature.” Though Haslam’s company originally produced men’s shirts and underwear, it was the dawn of a new era, attracting the likes of the British Commonwealth Land Forces and the British Women’s Land Army, who both donned some mesh in their uniforms. By the 1890s, mesh had successfully worked its way into the homes of almost all middle class British families.

Mesh came back in vogue in 1980 when Adidas began using elements of Aertex textiles in their sportswear. And of course, the 80s became the time when everyone decided athletica should be worn both on and off the court. Fast-forward to 1984, and we see Madonna debuting on MTV rocking none other than a mesh tank top. Bet George Orwell didn’t predict that one. The mesh look continued to grow as stars like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera sported their own versions, and the rest is history.

As 2015 seems to be a simultaneous resurgence of the 70s, 90s and sportswear, it only seems fair that a bit of mesh landed in the spotlight. And while there are some seriously tacky versions (think neon), most chic fashion boutiques have reinvented mesh into something that you’re definitely going to want to be part of.

So whether you desire the delicate peek-a-boo mesh of 2015 or the sporty mesh of the 80s, this is definitely a trend you don’t want to “mesh” out on. Check out Vv Magazine’s picks in the gallery below.

Click here to view gallery.

Related Link: That 70s Trend

Featured image: Escada’s Facebook page

How would you wear the mesh trend? Let Vv Magazine know in the comments below, or tweet us @ViewtheVibe.