Velvet, Lipstick and a Little Drama

May 19
2 min read

After years of polished minimalism and “optimisation”, fashion seem to be returning to a mood that feels more emotional, more expressive and slightly less controlled.

Theatrical silhouettes, dark glamour and the beauty of things once considered too much are quietly reappearing.

For a long time, style moved through a period defined by refinement. Clean lines, neutral palettes, carefully controlled silhouettes. Everything felt edited. Optimised. Quiet.

But lately, texture has returned. So has atmosphere.

There is a growing appetite for visual expression that feels more layered and more human. Less interested in perfection, and more interested in mood.

Somewhere in that atmosphere, The Rocky Horror Picture Show still lingers.

A theatrical scene from The Rocky Horror Picture Show featuring Dr. Frank-N-Furter. — *The Rocky Horror Picture Show* still lingers in the cultural imagination, not because it belongs to a single era, but because it captures a particular relationship between style and identity.

The film still holds the record for the longest continually running theatrical release in film history. Yet its cultural longevity has never been only about the story itself. What continues to resonate is the visual language surrounding it.

Three dramatically styled characters in a gothic dinner scene from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. — The 1975 musical comedy horror adaptation of Richard O’Brien’s original 1973 stage musical features O’Brien as Riff Raff, alongside Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick.

Rocky Horror created a world where glamour was not meant to appear effortless. It was dramatic, deliberate and slightly chaotic. Clothing became performance. Glamour became mood. Elegance left room for a little chaos.

That mood feels unexpectedly relevant again.

Dressing is becoming expressive rather than purely refined. Imagery and fashion are moving towards something more atmospheric and emotionally charged.

Perhaps it is a celebration of unapologetic style. And perhaps, just a little reason to “shiver with antici…pation” for whatever comes next.