Articles

Fasten your belts

By Tatiana Boncompagni

Published: October 26 2007

The actress and socialite Annie Churchill was recently preparing for one of the many events she attends in New York when, feeling a bit boxy in her vintage Calvin Klein dress, she decided to add a black velvet belt. “It completely changed the look,” says Churchill. “It drew the eye to my waist and made the proportions so much better.”

A good belt can work miracles. It can cinch a waist, elongate a torso, modernise and individualise an otherwise humdrum outfit. It can also lend shape and structure. “A belt controls all that volume a little bit,” explains Valerie Steele, director of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. “You need to have something to show there is the body underneath. People work out; they want to show they have a body even if the look is more voluminous.”

This fact has hardly been lost on designers. While Fendi and Yves Saint Laurent could be credited with helping start the trend in spring 2006, others have since embraced the look wholeheartedly. Belts featured in the recent collections of Proenza Schouler, Isabel Toledo for Anne Klein, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Azzedine Alaia, Giorgio Armani, Lanvin and Louis Vuitton, to name a few. New York designer Peter Som says: “Belts are great for defining the new body-conscious silhouette that’s becoming prevalent. Also, the addition of hardware on the belt gives an outfit that air of tough chic.”

The truth is, not since the 1980s have belts so enjoyed the limelight. They’re everywhere – from Dolce & Gabbana’s chastity belt gowns as seen on Jemima Khan (pictured above) at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s recent couture gala to the Hollywood red carpet, with Jessica Biel in belted raspberry Oscar de la Renta silk or Eva Mendes in belted lavender Reem Acra chiffon. And sales are following: Suzi Roher, whose eponymous line of belts sells at New York’s Saks Fifth Avenue and other boutiques worldwide, reported a 32 per cent increase in sales earlier this year; while at Ferragamo, where a wide Louisiana alligator belt was a spring hit, belt sales have doubled since last year.

“Brands that are heavily weighted towards accessories, including handbags, shoes and belts, have seen some of the most significant growth in sales over the past few seasons,” explains Aslaug Magnusdottir, a fashion consultant in New York. “Apparel trends in recent seasons – wide, baby-doll dresses and dress shirts – have accentuated the need for belts.”

According to Carrie Chapman, accessories buyer for Barneys Co-op, women aren’t just gravitating to one style but to a whole assortment. “There are wide waist belts and skinny belts, as well as a much wider range of fabrication: leather, metallics, elastic and satin,” says Chapman. “There’s also a range of texture: smocking, ruching, laminated fabrics and patent, rocker belts with zippers, jewellery belts with chains.”

Maybe so, but belts are hardly foolproof. A wide belt on a woman with a thick waist or large chest can make her look even heavier than she really is. As Santiago Gonzalez, president of the Nancy Gonzalez line of ultra-lux handbags and belts, puts it: “You need to be tall if you are wearing a really thick belt. Otherwise it will cut you in half.” Designer Anait Bian, meanwhile, favours belts made with clear plastic. “It highlights the waist but in a subtle way, like you’re painting a gloss over it. And this way you aren’t chopping the torso in two,” says Bian.

For the evening, J. Mendel designer Gilles Mendel suggests wearing a satin trench coat belt. “It adds a touch of sportswear to the evening and the end result is a cool modern look,” Mendel says. “I feel an over-adorned belt creates more of a classic look.” Peter Som has a more inclusive take on black-tie belting, advocating patent leather, satin or “anything jewelled.” However, “suede or regular leather is too daytime,” he warns.

This is good news for New York publicist Amanda Miller, who has a 23-inch waist and has been stockpiling belts since high school. Her collection now includes a 1940s Navajo conch belt, two Hermès Collier de Chien belts, Chanel chain belts, and black patent leather belts from Alaia, YSL and Donna Karan. “I put a belt on with just about everything,” says Miller. “They’re like jewellery. They’re the finishing touch.”