4 inspos for the best Halloween costume of 2024, straight from the catwalks
Why not take inspiration from the fashion masters of darkness and wear their gothic jewellery all year round?
Regardless of your plans, one thing is certain: Halloween calls for something extraordinary. Whether it’s a dramatic makeup look, a bold hairstyle, or an elaborate costume for the enthusiasts, embracing the eerie vibe is all part of the fun.
Celebrated worldwide with unique local flavours, Halloween is especially cherished in the West, with the U.S. and Canada going all out. However, perhaps the most distinctive celebration is Mexico’s Día de los Muertos. Recognised as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2008, this festival has become an annual highlight, known for its colourful and meaningful way of honouring loved ones.
On the spookiest night of the year, costumes around the world often draw inspiration from horror films, cartoons, and iconic pop culture characters. Yet, the gothic or dark aesthetic isn’t limited to Halloween; several people embrace it year-round, adding their own unique twists to styles once popularised by the emo scene.
Designers like Rick Owens continue to revitalise dark fashion, a trend also embraced in recent decades by influential figures such as Alexander McQueen, Yohji Yamamoto, and Boris Bidjan Saberi. This style features a distinct ‘gothic core’ vibe, characterised by signature black palettes and unique accessories, which resonates with youth globally. Some favour specific makeup looks, while others make black a wardrobe staple or choose grotesque, eye-catching jewellery to add an edgy touch.
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Gothic-inspired jewellery, including rings, necklaces, and crosses, has recently surged in popularity, appealing to a wider audience beyond traditional dark fashion circles. From influencers to everyday style aficionados, dark accessories have become a go-to choice.
So, why not draw from the fashion masters of darkness and their catwalks for the best Halloween costume of 2024? And why not invest in one of their edgy designer pieces of gothic jewellery that you can wear throughout the year?
Embracing Alexander McQueen’s Beauty in the Grotesque
Founded in 1992 by British designer Lee Alexander McQueen, the Kering-owned brand has been guided since the founder’s passing by his right-hand woman Sarah Burton, who is now poised to revive Givenchy. For the past two seasons, Seán McGirr has been at the creative helm of the brand.
Both Burton and McGirr have upheld the legacy of a visionary designer known for pushing boundaries and defying conventions, often merging elements of surprise and garments inspired by gothic fairy tales, skeletal motifs, and dark folklore.
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Alexander McQueen once remarked, “I find beauty in the grotesque,” a sentiment he vividly embodied in his collections and fashion shows, consistently challenging traditional notions of beauty and leaving audiences in a state of awe and unease.
Who better than the McQueen brand to inspire a Halloween look that is both eerie and unexpected? There are many chilling pieces to mention, including spider rings and skull-and-snake brooches—perfect for channelling McQueen’s unique vision of creepy elegance.
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Remembering Elsa Schiaparelli for a Surrealist Halloween Look
In the late 1920s, Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli’s surrealist and avant-garde fashion captivated audiences with an aesthetic that continues to inspire fashion critics and enthusiasts alike.
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Among Schiaparelli’s memorable creations is the Skeleton Dress, developed in collaboration with Salvador Dalí for the 1938 collection ‘Le Cirque’. This hauntingly beautiful piece continues to be a perfect muse for Halloween style.
But that’s not all; another excellent source of inspiration for your monstrous soirée could be Elsa Schiaparelli’s fascination with insects and animals, which she intricately wove into her designs. She defied the conventions of her era, using surreal elements to explore themes of identity and mortality with unparalleled finesse.
Her jewellery, too, challenged norms, often featuring eye motifs that added an uncanny touch to her collections. So, instead of choosing novelty eye-shaped candies this Halloween, why not channel Schiaparelli’s vision with jewellery that reflects facial features, as envisioned by the brand’s current creative director, Daniel Roseberry?
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Stepping into the Crow Tribe with Yohji Yamamoto’s Karasu-Zoku
“Black is modest and arrogant at the same time. Black is lazy and easy—but mysterious. Above all, black says this: ‘I don’t disturb you, and you don’t have to disturb me,’” declared Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto, articulating his love for the colour.
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The Japanese fashion designer debuted his collection in Tokyo in 1977 and made his Paris debut in 1981 alongside Rei Kawakubo’s Comme des Garçons.
Kawakubo and Yamamoto didn’t just redefine fashion; they deconstructed it, stitching it back together in ways that felt both chaotic and hauntingly beautiful. Their approach led to garments that appeared intentionally tattered and undone, free from traditional forms. They embraced loose and flowing silhouettes that challenged the polished expectations of mainstream fashion.
Yamamoto’s runway presentations, with their unapologetic use of black-on-black, became a defining aesthetic, earning his followers the nickname Karasu-Zoku—the “crow tribe”—for their devotion to this dark, monochromatic style.
And who better than Yamamoto is to be recognised as Halloween’s ultimate style icon? His shows create miniature worlds of night, with each outfit representing a new exploration of darkness, mystery, and allure—making them the perfect inspiration for the season’s festivities.
If you’re seeking ways to incorporate some of this shadowed elegance into your own Halloween ensemble, consider jewellery pieces that capture a similar aesthetic. Imagine a necklace featuring a purple gemstone wrapped by a snake or a pair of earrings with spikes that echo Yamamoto’s signature edge.
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Getting a Feel for Demna’s Distorted, Apocalyptic Dark Side at Balenciaga
Cristóbal Balenciaga founded his fashion house in San Sebastián, Spain, before relocating to Paris in 1937. He promptly carved out a unique niche in the fashion world by blending avant-garde design with haute couture elegance. His vision resulted in garments that were both bold and wearable, establishing the brand as a cornerstone of forward-thinking elegance. Today, under the creative direction of Demna, Kering-owned Balenciaga’s DNA remains rooted in exaggerated and daring designs but with a dark, dystopian, Matrix-like twist.
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In Balenciaga’s evolution, it’s not just the clothes that grab attention; the brand’s often gothic imagery is also striking. Their catwalks and social media presence are equally captivating, frequently resembling scenes from a surreal and unsettling film.
Demna’s jewellery collection for Balenciaga is just as impactful. Picture fierce earrings or necklaces shaped like gladiator swords—each piece makes a strong statement on its own. Dark, daring, and undeniably chic.
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Lucrezia Spina
Editor