This season has seen some pretty awesome and memorable fashion moments. From Dior’s massive comeback, to the reappearance of the polka dots, there’s been a lot to look forward to.
But the biggest fashion moment of the year (at least from a distance) has to be Robert Pattinson’s sweater. Whenever the 31-year-old actor steps out on the red carpet, the first thing that comes to mind is, “Robert Pattinson Wears This Sweater, and the Internet Just Lost Its Mind.””
The phrase “Robert Pattinson Wears This Sweater” has been around since 2014 when, while filming The Rover, the actor sported a black jumper with orange and white stripes on it. Since then, photos of him wearing the sweater have dotted the Internet. What made this particular sweater so influential was that it was a unique combination of materials — wool, silk, and cashmere. In case you missed it, let’s relive the magic.
First Off, The Jumper
In a video posted by the singer Selena Gomez on her Instagram account in January 2014, a grey jumper with orange and white stripes is seen hanging on a coat hanger. “Happy New Year,” the post caption reads. As you’ll soon see, this was no ordinary sweater.
The video shows Gomez trying on several different looks, as she plays with her hair in front of a mirror. At the end, she settles on the striped sweater, which she then clips onto a coat hanger. “So there you have it,” the post reads. “Selena Gomez chooses her clothing based on sweater/jumper combinations!”
This was the original “Robert Pattinson Wears This Sweater” photo, which was taken during filming for The Rover in 2014.
A New Look — In A Class By Itself
Now, let’s fast-forward to this year, and the many fashion moments that have come in the wake of the sweater. There was Dior’s huge comeback that saw it rerelease three iconic pieces from its menswear collection, including the black-and-white checks and the checks in orange and white, which resemble the striped sweater. There was also Gucci’s “Made In Italy” polka dots and the designer’s chequered print, which also resemble the checks. But the biggest fashion comeback of the year has to be Burberry, whose full-blown check print was all the rage this year, and will no doubt, influence future fashion seasons.
Burberry’s check print returns in various forms. The most prominent is the marigold-and-black check, first seen on the brand’s scarves last year. It also made a comeback this season on a dress, a jumper, and even a handbag.
A Revival Of Varsity
But it wasn’t just Burberry that drew inspiration from the sweater. The varsity jacket, which was revived this year, also made a comeback after many years of being ignored by the fashion world. Last year, we saw fashion houses such as JOVANI, MICHAEL KORS, and MUNICH COLLABORATION rev up their varsity offerings.
This year saw a number of major American fashion houses, including Ralph Lauren, Ralph Zuckerburg LLC, and Brooks Bradley, incorporate the trend into their spring 2019 fashion shows.
The Man Behind The Sweater
The man behind all these fashion moments is, of course, British designer Robert Pattinson. In an interview with Vogue, he credits the fashion comeback of the year to the “unbreakable connection” between fashion and social media. “It’s all about staying relevant,” he said. “People want to be inspired and be able to relate to what they’re seeing, so brands must continue to evolve with the times.”
He also credited the rise in popularity of the striped sweater to the fact that it was “a very practical and functional piece of clothing” that you could wear multiple times. When asked about possible collaborations with other fashion houses, he revealed that he has had discussions with many high-profile designers, but nothing was set in stone.
What’s Next?
Now that we’ve cycled through this year’s fashion moments, what’s next? As we’ve established, the influence of the striped sweater is undeniable, and it will no doubt continue to influence fashion in the coming years. Let’s take a trip back to 2018 and revisit some of the best fashion moments from that year, shall we?
Nike Slam Dunk Hi Fashion
Last year was all about the stripe. As we’ve seen, the Nike Slam Dunk Hi Fashion collection drew inspiration from the striped sweater — its check print, in fact, used as a central theme. This season, Nike continues to pay tribute to the design genius of Reebok, as the brand incorporates the checks into a full range of products, including handbags, dresses, and more.
This year, Nike also continued its partnership with the rapper Kendrick Lamar — one of the most influential figures of our time — by designing a sneaker for his new album, God Almighty. The collaboration combines the words “God” and “Almighty” with an iridescent blue gradient and subtle checkerboard pattern. It’s an ode to both the Almighty and to Nike itself — and it’s set to be a hit.
Reebok Adopts The Orange, White & Black Striped Fashion Trend
Reebok is another brand that drew inspiration from the orange, white, and black striped sweater. The design house is responsible for many iconic pieces, such as the classic “Gumdrop” sneakers and the Reebok Classic Leather Jacket, as well as the upcoming “Savage” collection. This year, Reebok continued its design capabilities with a collaboration with fashion house Dior.
The designer house reissued its iconic Dior logo in an ode to the Italian fashion house’s spring 2019 collection, and Reebok incorporated the logo into a striking striped sweater. As you’ll soon see…
Tom Ford’s Check Print
Last year was the comeback of the luxury brand Tom Ford, whose fashion house saw sales rise by double digits. So how does Ford plan to continue the trend? In an interview with Vogue, the designer said that he saw a gap in the market for affordable luxury goods, so he began designing a range of men’s and women’s accessories, which he plans to bring to market this year.
This includes a pair of sunglasses, printed with a check pattern, that are expected to be made available this summer.
A Golden Moment For Dior
As mentioned previously, Dior saw some incredible popularity and many iconic pieces this year. The most prominent was the return of the mini Dior ballerina and the full-blown Dior ballerina costumes, both of which are printed with the now influent marigold-and-black check. But that’s not all Dior had to offer. The designer also gave us the black-and-white polka dots, seen on so many items this year, as well as their checks, in purple, yellow, and green — all with a subtle checkerboard pattern, which we’ve seen before on their silk dupatta and tie-waist dresses.
Dior has been responsible for many fashion moments this year, but one of the biggest was, without a doubt, the return of the orange, white, and black striped sweater — or “poison bouclé” as it is known in French. This was a fashion moment that was almost too good to be true.
What will 2019 bring for fashion? Only time will tell, but, for now, let’s enjoy these last few months of the 2018 winter season and all the fashion moments that it has to offer.