you may have heard about the ‘heroin chic’ trend that plagued the fashion industry in the 90s and the early 2000s, with a focus on emaciated, stick-thin frames regularly seen on the high end runways and the glossy fashion magazine covers of the time. today, in the wake of the ‘BBL’ era – short for brazilian butt lift – which oversaw an idealisation of proportionally wider hips and a larger derrière in the late 2010s, we are seeing a worryingly rapid shift towards a much more slender frame again, reminiscent of models like Gia Carangi and Kate Moss who were credited with popularising the heroin chic trend in the early 90s. the trend is characterised by almost gaunt, emaciated features and prominent cheekbones, a narrow, slender frame, pale skin and dark circles.
“fast-forward to now, and you cannot help but notice similarities between the emergence of heroin chic in the early 90s and its increasingly evident return in the present day, in the aftermath of the ‘BBL’ era – which, albeit in a much more exaggerated fashion, celebrated a curvier, more full-figured body type much like in the late 80s.”
originally, when the trend first emerged, it was right off the back of a much healthier period in fashion during the late 80s. the 80s saw models such as Cindy Crawford and Claudia Schiffer spearheading an era which glorified much more attainable body ideals in the industry, sporting fuller, hourglass figures down the runways of huge fashion houses such as Chanel and Dior. fast-forward to now, and you cannot help but notice parallels between the emergence of heroin chic in the early 90s and its increasingly evident return in the present day, in the aftermath of the ‘BBL’ era – which, albeit in a much more exaggerated fashion, celebrated a curvier, more full-figured body type much like in the late 80s.
as fashion has a habit of repeating itself, so do trends in body image – and with that, the emergence of celebrities showcasing dramatically different body types in accordance with changing trends and fads. nowadays, celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande and Kylie Jenner are all sporting more slender, narrow frames and embracing a paler, less sun-kissed look reminiscent of the heroin chic trend.
household name Kim Kardashian could be seen as one of the most obvious examples of the shift – as she, alongside a wave of other celebrities, championed the ‘BBL’ in the mid to late 2010s (that infamous Paper magazine cover may spring to mind). it wasn’t till late 2022 when she began sparking concern in the media, posting instagram pictures sporting a dramatically more slender frame. there was public media outrage in september 2022 when she made an appearance on James Corden’s late late show, showing off her pronounced collarbones in a strapless metallic dress. this sparked a number of media outlets to draw side-by-side comparisons of images of the SKIMS founder between 2022 and a number of years prior, to highlight her dramatic weight loss. in june 2022, she herself noted that she had lost 21 pounds following an ultra-strict diet which restricted her carb and sugar intake almost entirely.
the fashion industry itself could be seen as the one setting this precedent of a more waif-like appearance – as the return of skimpier, barely-there Y2K clothing styles has become increasingly prevalent across high end collections in the past few years. from the return of the micro mini in Miu-Miu’s SS22 collection, to the low rise velour tracksuit bottoms seen in Balenciaga’s recent fall 2024 collection, the shift towards popular clothing styles in the late 90s and early 2000s is certainly echoing a similar shift in body types.
unfortunately, while the ‘heroin chic’ aesthetic may seem like nothing but a fleeting trend to be followed almost obsessively by celebrities and influencers alike, there are dire consequences for many. this focus on thinness has overseen a huge rise in demand in recent years for the diabetes drug ozempic, which can result in rapid weight loss – resulting in a shortage of the drug on the market for those who need it the most. additionally, the current shift towards a thinner, more waif-like body type has also come hand in hand with the rise of eating disorders in England, with the Guardian reporting a rise in hospital admissions for eating disorders by 84% in just five years back in 2022.
granted, modern fashion and beauty campaigns from brands such as PrettyLittleThing, Missguided and Dove have partaken in a celebration of all body types in the name of ‘body positivity’ – a movement championing diversity and a divergence from the thin, eurocentric view of beauty prevalent in the late 90s and early 2000s – but i certainly hope this re-emergence of the problematic ‘heroin chic’ trend does not dismantle the progress this movement has made in the industry and regress beauty standards back to an unhealthy, unattainable archetype. while fashion trends from previous decades will always recycle themselves, and the modern rebirth of heroin chic has the fashion industry in a chokehold for now, i hope this does not see the end of a healthier, more body positive era.
a word about fashion 
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