Hollywood’s obsession with the female breastplate

Julia Fox and her much detailed whirlwind romance with Kanye West has served us many interesting looks to think about, and none more so than a blue metallic breastplate that she posted on her Instagram stories.  

Many people had already believed that Kanye was dressing his new muse, a star in the making after her role in the movie Uncut Gems, in the same way that he did with Kim Kardashian. The breastplate has only added to that conversation, after the breastplate was a central feature of the launch of Kim’s perfume collection, the KKW Fragrance Opals.

However, there is a long history of obsession with women wearing breastplates within Hollywood and the High Fashion world, so it’s unfair to just say that Julia is simply copying Kim.

The history of breastplates in female fashion

More than just breastplates, fashion has had a relation to battledress throughout the ages. On the runway fashion has often referred to the military through camouflage, army boots, Officer’s uniforms; and in pop culture we’ve done the same. 

In 1969, breastplates made their splash on the scene as part of Yves Saint Laurent’s fashion show. As part of his show, YSL asked famous sculptor Claude Lalanne to create moulds of the influential model Veruschka von Lehndorff’s breasts and upper body. These were then turned into a brilliant copper upper and lower breastplate that formed the centre of YSL’s autumn/winter collection. 

The modern re-emergence of the breastplate

In 2016 there was a return of the breastplate at a number of fashion shows, which prompted some consideration of what it meant.

Talking about the season, Vanessa Friedman formed a link between female sexuality, that is epitomised by the traditional lingerie runway shows like Victoria Secret; and female power that, embodied by breastplates that call back to Amazonian warriors and leaders such as Boudicca. 

In contrast to Vanessa’s thoughts, Guy Trebay interestingly saw it as a reflection of anxiety. A theme of many fashion shows at the time were concealing and armouring models, as well as pieces that were directly inspired by military coats, tunics and capes. He further suggested that following the terrorist attacks in Paris, a sense of fear passed over much of western society so it is not extreme to believe that it may have influenced recent fashion design.

Hussein Chalayan also made breastplates the centre of his show for Louis Vuitton in 2018, where grey and silver items were built around colourful formed leather.

Also in that year, Zendaya literally wore armour to one of the premium red carpet events of the year, the Met Gala. She famously stole the stage when she dazzled in a Versace gown that was inspired by the Catholic icon and saint, Joan of Arc, to fit the theme of “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination,”.

Following her dressing as the infamous female warrior; early on in 2020 before the pandemic took hold, Zendaya stunned audiences at the 2020 Critics’ Alternative Awards by wearing an electric pink breastplate, designed by Tom Ford.  

Discussing the outfit, Tom Ford said that he took great inspiration from the Lalanne breastplates that we explored earlier. 

Due to the pandemic, this stream of high fashion looks that is based on military attire was paused. But as numbers eased at various points and celebrity events restarted, we saw another wave of breastplate focussed outfits. 

At the 2020 Schiaparelli Haute Couture Christmas show, Kim Kardashian once again dazzled in a breastplate, this time ending at her waist and tied to her green skirt. 

Kim K isn’t the only famous woman to have worn a breastplate on multiple occasions. Cardi B announced her second pregnancy by wearing a white plaster breastplate that covered both her voluptuous breasts and her baby bump. Crafted by a master of resin and sculpture within the fashion world, Misha Japanwala, the breastplate caused an instant reaction as it was used to spread the news of the star rapper’s status. 

She further broke the internet with a second breastplate, when Lizzo and Cardi B released the music video for the song “Rumors”; the pair emerged twerking on the home of the Greek Gods, Mount Olympus, both covered in fine gold items. In Cardi’s case, that was a polished Gold breastplate.

Hopefully you enjoyed our exploration of Hollywood’s obsession with the female breastplate. If you want learn more about High Fashion, then our article about Vivienne Westwood and Boucher may interest you; or if you are more interested in the world of the onscreen stars like Zendaya and Julia Fox then our piece on Emily in Paris or actress Marisa Tomei may be more your cup of tea.