Decoding the controversial faux-intimate-hair trend by major fashion brands!

The controversial faux-intimate-hair trend began with Maison Margiela's Artisanal Spring/Summer 2024 Haute Couture, designed by John Galliano. The show was an immersive, theatrical experience set in a shadowy underbelly of Paris. Galliano's muses were given extreme, cinched silhouettes, wore sheer, bias-cut gowns and used merkins (pubic wigs) on several of the models. The merkins were visible underneath the sheer fabrics, creating a shocking and powerful visual. They were reportedly fashioned from real human hair painstakingly embroidered onto silk tulle stockings, a true haute couture technique.

Although, the looks were inspired by the voyeuristic 1920s Paris night-life photography of Brassaï, whose images often featured nudes with natural hair and also referenced the historical use of merkins. This specific moment from the Margiela show, alongside the recent SKIMS launch and Jean Paul Gaultier Spring/Summer 2026 collection, has brought the concept of faux hair dressing to the forefront of the conversation this year.

Among the Jean's Spring/Summer 2026 collection, which was the ready-to-wear debut by new creative director Duran Lantink, the most talked-about and controversial items were bodysuits printed with a full-frontal, hairy, naked male body. These were widely seen as crude, shocking and vulgar. Many critics and netizens felt the clothes lacked the usual artistry and construction expected of a major fashion house and that it was a desperate grab for attention.

Decoding the controversial faux-intimate-hair trend by major fashion brands!Hit or miss?

The designer brand that has most recently introduced an item of faux hair dressing is SKIMS, founded by Kim Kardashian. They launched a collection of intimate wear called The Ultimate Bush. Many social media comments expressed confusion, shock, disgust and humor.

Despite the backlash, the product was reported to be selling out quickly, with many sizes already wait-listed. This indicates a high level of consumer interest, whether for novelty or a genuine desire to wear the item. Some also praised it as a marketing genius for creating buzz because even though it was heavily debated/mocked by the general public online, it commercially successful enough to sell out quickly.

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