The nostalgic appeal of soft toys in fashion Comfort and escapism on the catwalk

When designers decide to poke fun at the fashion system and the seriousness with which it is portrayed by the media, often the key they choose to use is the design of toys and garments that evoke the world of childhood, a cute idea that finds its true roots in the Japanese district, cradle of kawaii culture, Harajuku. Now an undisputed trend even on TikTok's For You Page, where the hashtag #plushtoy has accumulated more than 3 billion views, plush toys have become the perfect weapon for brands and creative directors to attract attention, an impactful trick that makes consumers travel back in time to the sweetest memories of their past. The looks inspired by children's favourite items are countless and continue to give rise to original collaborations; most recently Slam Jam x Trudi, a reproduction of the Italian sportswear brand's tiger mascot signed by the iconic plush toy brand. 

Today, the fashion world still relies on the nostalgic and innocent essence of soft toys, a lingering symptom of the uncertainties experienced during the pandemic years. Hovering between the need to escape and the need to find shelter in the past, design as we all do finds comfort in the rounded and affable lines of soft toys, sometimes overflowing into parody, such as Fendi's Karlito charm imitating Karl Lagerfeld's unapologetic look, and sometimes into more reflective concepts, such as the "misfit toys" of Tom Browne's FW22 collection that fully reflect the feeling of inadequacy that can arise in any one of us.