Send in the clowns, we’re trading rosy lips for red noses.
In an era of voluminous silhouettes, inflated accessories and those Big Red Boots, designers are down to clown.
Clowncore – near-ridiculous renditions of recognizable joker motifs – is sweeping the cirque du runway and ringmasters of the fashion circus are taking the theatrical trend to new heights.
#Clowncore has soared to more than 496 million views on TikTok and is much more than just an ode to harlequin. Some brands’ latest lines are a tightrope walk between camp and opulence.
Take BODE’s zany onesie worn by Michelle Williams, Chanel’s spring 2023 showman top hats and neck bows or Harry Styles’ checkered glitter one-piece at the Grammy Awards. Even Armani Privé’s spring 2023 couture line sparkled with bazaar grandiosity in checkered ruched collars, tulle accents and diamond decorations.
Of course, it helps that Lady Gaga has stepped into the role of the infamous Harley Quinn for “Joker: Folie à Deux,” and like Barbiecore ahead of the “Barbie” film, life often imitates the big screen.
If those are any indications zany has entered the zeitgeist, clown is the new chic.
“Clowncore allows everyone to be in on the joke,” fashion TikToker Kelley Heyer told The Post. “It’s on the runway saying, ‘Look how opulent and exaggerated and ridiculous I look!'”
“The world is scary right now,” the New York content creator added. “People are done hiding. We’ve spent so long isolated and given time to think about who we are.”
The trend isn’t for Bozos, though.
Christopher John Rogers’ pre-fall 2023 collection, while high-brow with elegant silk frocks, amusingly added red noses on models, some of whom wore comically-high headpieces.
The celeb-favorite designer also paired extreme silhouettes – from teeny corset waists to oversized, parachute pants and dresses – with nods to the historical jokester Pierrot, who notoriously dressed in white to match his painted face and tufted collar.
Rogers even included satin, roomy onesies with large button embellishments down the front, a unique take on a ruffled collar to look more like a blooming flower; and classic diamond harlequin geometry.
He also experimented with geometry – circle cut-outs, stripes, checkers and color blocking – and sky-high headpieces, as well as baggy suits and ballooning hips which mimic that of a jester. Even the makeup and accessories have an air of tomfoolery: Bright blue eyeshadow, a bold lip and even, on some models, a bulbous red nose.
“I love the wide range of emotions that the characters can represent,” Rogers told Elle.
“I’m always looking at stock characters like Pierrot for inspiration, and we thought adding fabric flowers down the center front would be a lovely addition,” he added.
And the “It” girls — fashionistas, not “It” clown Pennywise — are taking note, as items like Loewe’s $1,100 balloon pumps go viral.
But Clowncore may be just the latest installment of maximalist surrealism that has been present on the runway this season. The “puff-ification” of Prada cult classics; Collina Strada’s ethical animal prosthetics; and Wonderland-esque haute couture gowns are just part of the playful wave of fashion.
Clowning around, Heyer suggested, acts more as an escape from our grim reality than a reflection of it – or a bit of comedic relief.
“I see the rise of Clowncore as our desire to be silly and opulent and witty as things grow dark around us,” Heyer said.
“We need to find joy somewhere and I think putting on these clothes, this costume of a clown, gives us permission to be a character and express our own joy.”
