Vichy squares: the summer print that will never go out of style
A bit of history
Vichy is to summer what tartan is to winter. It is the summer painting, the print that takes us to Provence and summers in the countryside. This cotton fabric (sometimes also twill or linen) with a checkered pattern in which white and another color (black, blue, pastel...) usually predominate emerged in the French city of Vichy in the 17th century and was used , mainly, for table linen and field clothing. Also associated with aprons and children's clothing (babies were and are made with this fabric), it had its first moment of glory with Judy Garland's dress in The Wizard of Oz (1939) but it would not be until the 50s when it really These simple checks will achieve their status as a fashion fabric.
It would be the fault of the French actress Brigitte Bardot, epitome of the French style, whose girlish but sexy style began to be imitated by all the adolescents of the time. Her ponytail, her earrings, the ballerinas and XL belts marking her wasp silhouette created a school. As did her wedding dress. The designer Jacques Esterel created in 1956 for her marriage to Jacques Charrier a New Look-style dress, with a puffed skirt and fitted waist, in white and pink gingham check. The dress, with that naïve and feminine air, and nothing traditional for a bride of that time, would finish consecrating Brigitte Bardot as a world icon and would introduce the aforementioned print to the Olympus of fashion.
Other Bardot contemporaries would also wear it gracefully, such as Jane Birkin in Jacques Deray's film The Swimming Pool (1966) in which she appears in a black checked minidress or a skirt, also in a mini version, in navy blue gingham .
Audrey Hebpurn took it to her ground, starring in her favorite pants, the capri cut ones and accompanied by classic ballerinas and white shirts. With a headscarf and riding a bike, she would be the most iconic image of the summer.
And after a few years in which the geometric print of the 60s or the more bohemian paisley of the 70s would dominate the print scene, in the 80s and 90s he would once again star in the looks of another widely imitated fashion icon: Diana de Welsh. Ankle-length pants, a baggy shirt and loafers in a 'mother's look' that perhaps a few years ago would have seemed boring to us but today, thanks to the comeback of mom jeans and preppy aesthetics, is perfectly wearable.
How do you wear vichy in the summer of 2020?
After several seasons of comings and goings, this summer the trend returns and it does so in its classic and more elegant aspect, although there are also novelties. For those who want to recreate their most retro style, black and white, red and blue continue to be the infallible options. On the one hand, and as a novelty, we will also see a vichy fabric with XL squares, especially in black and white. The tiny box associated with children's fashion is left behind and becomes gigantic and in this more resounding chromatic duo. The good? It combines perfectly with basics such as the white t-shirt, the denim jacket, the leather biker... thus becoming a trend with much more experience, capable of slipping into less country, more urban or even night-time outfits.
On the other hand, among the usual shades, bright colors burst in, transforming the classic style into a much more groundbreaking option, although always with that naïve aftertaste. You just have to look at the proposals from La Veste that Blanca Miró wears or the outfits of the Danish women, stripped of their cheesier side and combined with rough sandals and opposite colors.
Another tip? The neo-romantics add a baby neck to their style, thus recreating their most childish side.
If you want to join the trend, there are options for all tastes and budgets: