From Classroom to Runway School Jumpers Have Inspired Fashion
High fashion is probably not something that springs to mind when you think of school uniforms. However, school jumpers have made their way onto the runways and into the fashion world in recent years, inspiring designers and fashion lovers alike.
Let’s learn how this trend started and gain some insights into this fashion phenomenon.
How Did it Start?
The trend started with the rise of the "normcore" fashion movement around 2013. This aesthetic celebrates ordinary, everyday clothing items as fashion statements. School jumpers fit right in with this ideal, offering a simple, unpretentious look that can be dressed up or down depending on the event. And while the popularity of this idea rises and falls, there continues to be a fascination with the notion.
Jumpers on the Runway
Designers and fashion houses that have included school uniform items such as jumpers in their collections include Alexander Wang, Vetements and Raf Simons. Thom Browne has used the idea recently and included school uniform items such as ties, blazers, white buttoned shirts, pleated skirts and oxfords with white ankle socks.
Why the Interest in This Simple Clothing Item?
High fashion is worlds apart from the everyday reality of school uniforms, yet there are many similarities. Both school uniforms and high fashion aim to create a specific look or image, whether it is conformity or individuality. Additionally, both depend on the power of symbolism and association to construct meaning.
The jumper stands for discipline, tradition and belonging. It serves as a visible indicator of the school community and a way to identify students as part of that community.
In fashion, the jumper can represent rebellion and irony. By taking something as ordinary as a school uniform and turning it into a high-fashion item, designers are making a statement about the nature of fashion and society as a whole.
Whatever your take on this trend, the rise of lowly school pullovers as high-fashion items is a testament to the power of clothing as a symbol and a statement.
Browse our knitwear and contact The Uniform Company today to make a statement with your school jumpers. Our highly skilled designers are standing by to create unique and customised lines to meet all your school uniform requirements.