The New Power Dress

As a new, ’80s-inspired silhouette emerges, are women finally getting the dress of their dreams?

- Renée Batchelor

IT STARTED WITH an Instagram image. While browsing through my discover feed I chanced upon an image of a dress that defied categorisation. Like one of those ’80s party dresses that were at once girlish and alluring, the high collar, puffed sleeve and longer length were a nod to modest fashion mashed up with a prairie-style dress — but there was something more there. This dress was fun and brought a fresh feeling of excitement, invoking a certain sense of wistful nostalgia, but also devil-may-care boldness in its purposeful modesty. Devoid of sex appeal in the traditional sense — this was a dress for a woman, designed by a woman. The man-repeller of dresses if you will. And it showed.

I discovered that the particular dress was designed by New York-based Batsheva Hay, who was a finalist of the Vogue and CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) Fashion Fund in 2018. Under her Batsheva line, which retails both on her online store and on matchesfashion.com, she does custom designs as well, mining vintage fabrics and even craft material to whip up her whimsical creations. As a foil to their girlishness, Hay often styles the dresses with tough, lace-up boots or even sneakers. I was hooked and, several Instagram DMs later, had ordered one in holographic lilac lamé. (Hay sells many dresses on social media and the transaction is surprisingly easy.) This was a dress you either loved or hated: there was no in between.