Disco Divas: Dancing sheen

What is it about ’70s music that gets us up and dancing? The tables are pushed aside, the disco lights are switched on and the DJ puts Donna Summer, Abba or Queen on the turntable and everyone is up and boogieing. Well in a manner of speaking the same thing is happening in fashion. The soundtracks of the ’70s and early ’80s are the mood music for partywear this winter, as designers adjust their playlists and start thinking about disco glamour for the dancefloor.

Nothing picks up the strobing pyrotechnics better than shiny fabrics and the collections are full of party dresses in satin, lamé and super-bright sequins. Even that 1970s stalwart Lurex is making a comeback, though thankfully softer to the touch than its scratchy forebear. 

The roots of the trend are in the collections by Olivier Rousteing at Balmain and Anthony Vacarello at Saint Laurent, whose AW19 collection was brilliantly staged with ultra-violet lighting (another ’70s nightclub throwback). Rousteing has a taste for patent, PVC and bare flesh — that being glimpsed under sheer fabrics or leggy mini-skirts. Meanwhile Vacarello’s makeover of Saint Laurent features shiny evening shorts and neon-bright asymmetric mini-dresses.

This party wardrobe is a youth-oriented one and teamed with animal-print boots. After seven years of demure calf-length dresses, there are plenty ready to swap them for a leggier night-time look. According to fashion insiders, sales of miniskirts are up more than 50 per cent on last year.

Dialling up the glamour with short-skirts and shiny fabrics at slightly less than Paris catwalk prices are Italian brands Pinko and Attico, and Polish designer Magda Butrym, with her printed and draped minidresses. Attico’s Milan presentation resembled the set of Grease, with models, in tiered metallic minidresses, catsuits, long feathered dresses and ’80s-style broad shouldered neon pink jackets, draped over vintage Porsches and Ferraris. 

Similarly amping up the allure are Pinko’s dresses and mini-skirts in attention-seeking metallic fabrics and skirts with all-over paillettes (large sequins), along with more ’80s-inspired taffeta and tulle dresses featuring bunchy skirts (in the £280 to £450 price range). 

Also sitting comfortably in that sweet mid-price range (dresses £280 to £400) is New York brand Alice & Olivia, which took over the Angel Orensanz Centre in the city for its show and transformed the Gothic Revival synagogue into a theatrical floral backdrop for their Instagrammable sequin and Lurex dresses, statement tees and oversized panné velvet jackets. 

Tara Jarmon and contemporary British label Rixo’s collections are similarly known for their accessible pricing. Tara Jarmon features twisted duchess satin draped minidresses (around £300) while Rixo  has floral-print minidresses (£250 to £350), slashed midi-dresses in coloured striped sequins for those that don’t want to flash so much leg and colourful metallic cardigans, all of which were presented in London’s suitably atmospheric Café de Paris nightclub. 

The designers, Henrietta Rix And Orlagh McCloskey, said their inspiration was New York’s famous Studio 54 nightclub and its strong iconic habituées, Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall, Grace Jones and Cher. Similarly tapping into that Studio 54 vibe are De La Vali and 16Arlington. Both newish London-based labels: the Spanish duo at De La Vali have some standout party dresses, such as the green draped Lurex mini dress, aptly named the Gin dress for its colour. 

The luxury ready-to-wear at 16Arlington includes rainbow dresses, animal print flared pantsuits, sequin babydolls in funky patterns and lots of feathers to swish around and pose in. This vibrant ’70s vibe permeates right through to the high street. If you want to tap into your inner disco diva mood then Zara has some pretty eye-catching mirror sequin dresses, a ruffled metallic thread minidress and red sequin trouser suit with oversized jacket. 

However, nothing screams disco more than its hot pink sequin asymmetric top and flared trousers, the best party outfit of the season. Nailing this look of course takes confidence. We have a tendency in this country to ground glamorous evening looks with tough boots, but designers are suggesting colourful ankle boots or animal-print knee boots as a compromise. 

There is plenty of choice at Christian Louboutin and Rupert Sanderson, right through to the more wallet-friendly brands like Kat Maconie and Kurt Geiger. Kurt Geiger also has the perfect party bag in rainbow-striped metallic leather. Now all we need to find is a disco ball and some Elton John to get the party going. c