The hood might be synonymous with oversized jackets and coats in winter, thanks to our beloved British weather, but they're having a serious revival on the catwalk right now, and we're more the glad for it.
The enduring power of the hood – which became a staple on the catwalk in 2022 - was most prominently seen last week during the Dune 2 press tour, via Zendaya, Florence Pugh and Anya Taylor-Joy.
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At the French premiere of the new sci-fi film, Zendaya was photographed wearing vintage Bulgari jewellery styled with a tiny hooded crop top and a dramatic ballgown skirt in gold brocade, custom-made by Louis Vuitton. Next up was Pugh at the London premiere, dressed in a backless Valentino sequin embellished dress, which featured a statement hood and relaxed cowl neckline, while Taylor-Joy wore a piercing white pleated silk dress styled with a translucent white hooded veil by Dior Haute Couture.
For the BAFTAs in London, we then saw ELLE UK's March cover star, Naomi Campbell, wearing a black A-line dress complete with a sheer veil, just days after Vera Wang sported a white hooded gown, styled with black opera gloves, on the red carpet at the awards' gala.
At Simone Rocha's LFW show, several models walked the runway - set inside the Priory Church of St Bartholomew - with hoods in various textures and colourways.
Our sartorial senses first started tingling for the hood when we first saw Bella Hadid step onto the runway in a black mini-dress with a detachable hooded cape at Coperni's AW22 show way back in 2022. Cool, directional, different and displaying some supremely impressive tailoring it certainly was, but the next party look we couldn't wait to wear? Not exactly.
But a lot has changed since then. During the SS23 show season, the hooded dress appeared on the runway everywhere from Versace and Halpern to Alaïa. Saint Laurent's glitzy SS23 show, meanwhile, was filled with gloriously draped, slinky, hooded maxi-dresses – worn with black-out sunglasses and oversized coats for the epitome of late-night Parisian chic.
Unsurprisingly, the glamour and drama lent by the hooded dress has proven to be irresistible for stars looking to make a statement on the red carpet. In recent years, everyone from Ashley Graham to Katie Holmes, Michaela Coel, Kate Moss and Bella Hadid has stolen the show in variations on a hooded dress design.
Our advice? Channel the OG hooded dress wearer, Grace Jones: wear with confidence, and little else. The hood is statement enough, so it's best to keep the rest of the outfit relatively low-key. A diamond tennis bracelet, perhaps, a party earring at most... A high-glamour make-up look, however? Absolutely essential. The focus is on the face, after all, that's just as it should be.
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Clementina Jackson is Acting Site Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, working across news and features, trends, e-commerce and SEO. She was previously Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health, and Acting Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, where she was named as a PPA 30 Under 30 award winner for her work on size inclusivity. An experienced fashion, travel and luxury lifestyle journalist, Clementina has also written for Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveller, Tatler, Red and Italy Segreta.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.