Kylie Jenner just declared that chainmail tops are the hottest trend of the season. The beauty mogul took to Instagram on September 14 to show off her latest look – and it blends metallic glitz with buttery leather.
The 29-year-old rocked a silver chainmail top that featured a halterneck design with a daring backless finish. The metallic number draped elegantly over the silhouette to expose her side boob. Kylie styled the shimmering number with a pair of black low-rise leather pants from her fashion brand Khy.
© InstagramKylie's luscious raven locks were left down in soft waves while her makeup oozed glam, courtesy of a bronze eye and a glossy nude lip. "Last week of summerrrr wearing my new perfect @khy leather pants," she penned in the caption.
© InstagramThis isn't the first time Kylie has slipped into a glistening silver number. Back in 2022, she rocked Paco Rabanne’s molten hooded top from the brand's fall/winter 1997 collection with a pair of Sevali Studio jeans, Amina Muaddi wedges and a matching silver Hermès Kelly bag.
© InstagramThe chainmail trend
© Penske Media via Getty Images
© Gamma-Rapho via Getty ImagesKylie's metallic, fluid garment is nothing new to the sartorial scene. Metallic chainmail looks that mimicked the essence of medieval armor blended with space-age designs entered the fashion sphere by none other than Paco Rabanne. In 1966, the designer debuted his first haute couture collection, titled Twelve Unwearable Dresses in Contemporary Materials, which would forever alter the brand's DNA. The 12-look collection alluded to pieces worn by Joan of Arc and knights in the medieval era. Chain-link designs, from tops to figure-hugging dresses, became synonymous with the maison.
© Getty ImagesThe unconventional material palette caught on – Stephen Burrows alluded to the look in his 1976 collection and Gianni Versace introduced Oroton in 1983, a revolutionary fine-gauge metallic mesh fabric that was to be reimagined in columns and mini dresses throughout the 90s.
© Lovers LaneLocated in Notting Hill, vintage boutique Lovers Lane houses some of Rabanne's most coveted metallic statement pieces, celebrated for their signature interlocking links. An exquisite silver chainmail dress from the 1970s is part of their treasure trove of an archive. The shop is also home to a semi-sheer gold number embellished with intricate tassels on the hem.
Charlotte Cohu, founder of Lovers Lane, spoke to HELLO! about the legacy of Paco Rabanne's avant-garde designs. "In the 1960s, Paco Rabanne pushed the boundaries of what clothing could be –contrasting industrial, often harsh, materials with delicate craft to create a new kind of glamour," she shared.
"Given the craft that went into his pieces, often they were haute-couture or custom. It could take 500 hours to complete one piece alone. With the chain mail dresses, each tiny piece of metal is joined together with pliers to form the shape of the garment. I think this rarity only adds to their specialness, but when you do see one it is instantly recognizable as Rabanne. The quality shows too – pieces that are over 50 years old look like they were made yesterday."
