Elizabeth & James Ports 1961 Dries Van Noten Peter Som Antonio BerardiThe peplum returns to the runways, gaining momentum as an essential design detail for tops, jackets, dresses even skirts and pants. Soft and fluid or starched and structured, the peplum has long played a role of accentuatingand emphasizing the female form from Mainbocher evening gowns in the 30s to Thierry Mugler!s fantasticaljackets of the 80s to today. The peplum revival has designers reinterpreting ideas of the past and pushing theenvelope forward with new interpretations for F/W 12, including add-on peplum belts.1930s1930s Ladies Home Journal June 1945 Lanvin in LOfficiel n. 339, 1950Thierry Mugler 1980s Christian Dior Haute Couture S/S 97Betsey JohnsonOpening Ceremony 2010The peplum was a consistently popular detail on day and eveningwear of the 30s and 40s before playing a key rolein Christian Dior!s New Look silhouette, part of the structured, nipped-waist jackets that would define 50s style.Designers later revisited the peplum in the 80s, as 40s influences re-emerged in fashion. Twentieth century peplumsare emerging in 21st century design, with designers experimenting with volume and shapes of all eras.Jill StuartAlix in L'Officiel 1936 n.176 1940s L'Officiel 1936 n.177Berman & Co collection Vogue pattern 1940s 1980sPeplums offered a femme, flirtatious counterpoint to the solemn lengths of the 30s, breaking up the long and languidsilhouette with sprightly flounce. Jutting out in dramatic fashion or falling in soft, fluid gathers, the peplum added awaist-defining shape to blouses and tops into the 40s, later reprised in the 80s. Designers experimented with softer,looser peplum looks this season, yielding all sorts of peplum-ed tops that are easier to wear than yesterday'sprecisely tailored versions.Milly by Michelle SmithThierry Mugler Vivienne Westwood Givenchy Couture SS99Romeo Gigli 1980s Thierry Mugler 1980s Paris streetsThe bustier top was updated for F/W 12, evoking the exaggerated figure-flattering versions of the 80s. Nipped at thewaist, the bustier naturally has a peplum-like silhouette. Designers from Versace to Dolce & Gabbana took it onestep further by adding flared side panels that jut out from the body, reminiscent of Thierry Mugler!s many fantasticalcorsets and bustiers of the 80s.LanvinChristian Diorin Vogue November 1954 L'Officiel 1936 n.175 Thierry Mugler 1980sLilli Ann 1940s Balmain in L'Officiel 1954 n.387-88 Paris streetsPeplum jackets channeled Mid-Century propriety this season in a multitude of fabrics and cuts. Popular for 30sevening jackets and later a cornerstone of Dior!s New Look in the late 40s-50s, peplums add womanly appeal totraditionally masculine tailored pieces. 80s fashion later revived the peplum jacket, with designers like ThierryMugler at the helm. Today's firm yet lightweight fabrics have enough bounce to hold the shape without thebuttressing of yesteryear.Etro in L'Officiel 1980 n.659 Chloe in L'Officiel 1980 n.659 Burberry Prorsum Betsey Johnson 1980s Bottega VenetaPopular in the 80s, peplum-ed skirts offer a casual interpretation of 30s evening looks, evoking the formal dresses ofthe era with whimsy and aplomb. Championed by designers like Betsey Johnson, the peplum skirt added youthfulinterest to slim pencil styles or an extra tier to voluminous gathered skirts. Both daytime and dressed-upinterpretations are emerging on runways today, reviving the peplum skirt once again.L'Officiel 1936 n.181 Yves Saint Laurent 1980s Peter Pilotto Alix in L'Officiel 1936 n.184 Givenchy in L'Officiel 1980 n.659The peplum dress was a defining silhouette in 30s eveningwear, as peplums added waist emphasis to the longlengths popular of the era. Reprised for both day and evening looks in the 80s, peplum dresses made a surprisingreturn for F/W 12, with knee- to floor-length styles emerging on the runways. Tactile materials like fur or multi-layered fabrics add even more dimension to an already exaggerated shape.Cushnie et OchsVera Wang Etro FendiVera Wang Etro Paris streetsForward-thinking designers appropriate the shape for directional belts. Whether rendered in silver-plated metal orpolished leather, the peplum belt is versatile and statement-making, adding drama to otherwise buttoned-up,ladylike looks.Lanvin in L'Officiel 1954 n.387-88 Thierry Mugler John Galliano SS94Paris City Wrap F/W 12 > Hourglass | Copenhagen Trade Show Wrap F/W 12: Women!s Apparel > Peplum Power |Retail Comp: The Peplum Jacket | Trend Tracker: Power Player > Tops | Runway Roadmap S/S 13: Terra Moderne> Pep Gals | Runway Roadmap S/S 13: Fashletes > Featherweights | S/S 13 Runway Roadmap: Crystal Lab >Complex Craft | S/S 12 Runway Must-Haves: Women!s Apparel > Pepped Up | Classifications S/S 12: Woven Tops> Peplum Up | Runway Flash S/S 12: Pep It Up | Speed to Market: The Peplum Top | Vintage to Runway S/S 12 >Pretty Peplums