We place the timeline of the polka dots’ elegant comeback, a rough 2 years back. A big push factor here, as is the case with any major revival worth its stay in the limelight, was the tepid trickle of the print back into luxury runways. Labels like Valentino, Carolina Herrera, Yves Saint Laurent and Jacquemus reintroduced polka dots in sleek monochrome palettes, sheer fabrics, and stunningly complex silhouettes paired with minimalist styling, which very intentionally shifted the print away from its retro, pin-up recall. So the polka dot was no longer loud – it was elegant, fitting rather well into the buzz word of the century – ‘vintage’. And so it began to be styled accordingly. And as always, a telling reflection of this is the way the print has been casually resurfacing in celebrity wardrobes and overall elevated street style. Right now, we’re standing at a point when polka dots are both ‘fun’ but also ‘quiet luxury’, an enviously unique position to be holding in the revolving door routine of trends.
