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Reinventing the Peter Pan Collar

07 Jan 2012

Once upon a time, Peter Pan collars used to connote innocence; a born-again star, the neck attire now comes in PVC, paired with leather harnesses or worn on its own. Pascale Barget decodes how designers are hijacking the classic by infusing it with a little oh-la-la.

Peter Pan Collars. They arrived in the 1800s around the necks of small children, and later on Françoise Hardy’s collarbone. Today, from Acne to Comme des Garçons or Carven, they are peppering catwalks again, and have undergone another transformation – this time, the devil is in the detail.

As Petra Metzger, a professor at London’s Central St Martins nicely points out, “the Peter Pan collar with its rounded corners has a more feminine, even naïve infantile feel” – enough said if all one is after is prim and proper Audrey Hepburn class. However, on closer inspection, fashion houses have not stopped there, and henceforth combined the collar’s innocence and grace with a healthy dose of debauchery. The result? A complete revolution. Call it Peter Pan III if you must.

Throughout the year designers from all walks of life has weaved this sexed-up, virtuous image into their collections.

The likes of Pucci have them in velvet and lace tied up with bows while Miu Miu has attached them to transparent, back-buttoned pieces. Acne combines them with revealing slits at the back, and Louis Vuitton combines them with sultry maid attires.

Suffice to say these creations have effortlessly made their way onto the high street. Whether found in leather, sequins or with hearts they have preyed on all sorts and everything from dresses to coats have been attached to them.  They have even made a break for freedom by becoming their own detachable accessory – just take a look at Carven’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection.

In light of their recent glory one could question whether Peter Pan collars will be a thing of the past by next Fashion Week. The answer, according to Metzger, remains undecided as “nowadays trends become very watery and flexible. It depends on the styling and combinations of an outfit.” While this may not satisfy readers who hunt for only the latest look, it subtly testifies in favor of the collar’s success – today, Peter Pan III allows the modern day woman to mix Audrey Hepburn with a bit of Marilyn Monroe. Now there’s one thing one wouldn’t have thought possible! 

Pascale Barget for NowFashion