Netflix Series Bridgeton and Its Impact on the Fashion Industry

The hit Netflix series is already carving out trends into 2021. Since its release on Christmas Day the series has attracted over 63 million viewers.

According to Lyst's new report, in the weeks following Bridgerton's release, searches for period pieces like corsets, headpieces, elbow length gloves, and more have skyrocketed. Corsets surged on the platform by 123%. When it comes to accessories, searches for pearl and feather headbands saw an increase of 49% since Bridgerton became a fan favorite.

According to Daily Mail, fans have been posting videos of themselves in home-made costumes inspired by the early 1800s fashion on the Tik Tok app. Kathryn Drysdale, who plays dressmaker Genevieve Delacroix talked about wearing corsets during the show, "It's just so beautiful, and it's an escape into another world and it's such fun. I think everybody should have a corset."

The thought dawns on me, did something similar to this happen in the fashion industry after the Great Depression when we saw a boom of feminine fashion arise? Due to COVID-19, women are tired of being in sweats all day, we no longer have events to go to where we can show off our fashionable taste.

These events like World Wars and Depressions, limit resources and shift lifestyles. During these times, people were more focused on their clothes serving a purpose rather than the look of them. In WWII, more women were entering the workforce than ever before; therefore, clothing trended towards masculinity. Society is already moving into a more "casual" taste for fashion and the pandemic is accelerating this. I mean, we can wear a nice top and sweatpants on a Zoom call!

However, I predict that when we overcome this pandemic my guess is that new fashion trends will excelerate. There will be more events to attend and we will finally be able to break out our fancy clothing again. I think Bridgerton is just a small glimpse that shows that we are on the verge of throwing our sweats into the trash.