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Blake, Wm. Eve Tempted by the Serpent. 1799.

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At Paris Fashion Week, the trend of sheer clothing took center stage, revealing a nude look through materials like tulle and chiffon.

Analysts say the number of sheer outfits increased by 40% among the top 20 brands from 2023 to 2024, from Chloe and Courreges to Givenchy and Weinsanto.

No brands went so far as Saint Laurent, which made sheer the dominant theme of its Autumn/Winter collection. The New York Times wrote last week, “Breasts, Breasts, Everywhere,” noting that only 12 of the 48 looks at the Saint Laurent show could be published in “this family newspaper.”

Laurence Benaim, Saint Laurent biographer: “It was not a question of baring the body, but of suggesting its presence through a fabric as sensual as it was intangible. Transparency meant freedom.”