The rise of ‘mom couture’ trend: Borrowing fashion from your mother's wardrobe

The “mom couture” trend brings the narrative of fashion to the forefront, where the age-old garments from your mother’s wardrobes see light today

Clothes and fashion always tell a story more so when it is something related to our own parents, siblings or other family members. The trend of ‘something borrowed’ has been on the rise recently with the label ‘mom couture’ where people borrow clothes from their mother’s wardrobes and style them in their way. This also speaks of nostalgia and sustainability and connects them to their roots while creating a sense of personal history, as many of these clothes carry memories and stories.

The rise of 'mom couture' trend

Sonam Kapoor attended a wedding wearing her mother, Sunita Kapoor's 35-year-old red Gharchola saree in traditional Gujarati style.

The fashion world has always celebrated reinvention in different forms and this trend is the perfect way to honour the past and also make it relevant in the present. Actress Ananya Panday recently wore her mother, Bhavana Panday’s 21-year-old custom-made aqua-blue suit with studded embellishments and motifs from Rohit Bal for her cousin, Deeya Shroff’s wedding festivities.

Prateik Babbar’s double-breasted tuxedo and pants were made by recycling his later mother, Smita Patil's two Kanjeevaram sarees from JADE by Monica and Karishma.

This trend of “mom couture” is also a nod to sustainability and eco-conscious fashion as celebs re-wear clothing while sending out a message that purchasing clothes for every occasion causes harm to the industry from a bird’s eye perspective. “I definitely see “mom couture” growing beyond just a seasonal trend. With the increasing focus on sustainability and eco-conscious fashion, young celebrities are likely to continue finding inspiration in their mothers’ wardrobes,” says designer Rashi Kapoor adding, “As the younger generation becomes more aware of the environmental impact of fast fashion, rediscovering and reworking family heirlooms in fresh ways will only become more appealing.”

Ananya Panday wearing an aqua-blue suit, custom-made for her mother Bhavana Panday by Rohit Bal 21 years ago.

While fashion remains a way of expressing one’s identity, wearing your mother’s clothing also allows you to preserve a piece of her story and bring it to light. There is an emotional connection that reaches way beyond just clothing. “I think this is something celebrities are tapping into now more than ever. Whether it’s a vintage piece that she wore in her youth or something more modern that has been passed down,” added Rashi. Recently, actress Kaia Gerber paid homage to her mother, Cindy Crawford as she wore a sleek white bodycon maxi dress from Hervé Léger at a movie premiere which was a recreation of her mother’s dress in 1993. Wearing a mother’s outfit establishes a connection to cherished memories and celebrates a style which holds sentimental value. “The beauty of generational fashion is that it allows us to bring the old and the new into harmony, creating pieces that resonate across ages and seasons,” remarks Sachin Kharbanda, designer and co-founder of a fashion brand.

Kaia Gerber paid tribute to her mother, Cindy Crawford by wearing a recreation of her 1993 white bodycon maxi dress at a film festival from Hervé Léger

Sanya Malhotra stuns in a handmade vibrant block brocade kurta set which was originally designed by her mother, Renu Malhotra.

Sustainability is also the heart of this trend as in an age where fast fashion is being scrutinized for its environmental impact, wearing older pieces—especially something as chic as your mother’s wardrobe—shows that timeless fashion can be both sustainable and elegant. “Re-wearing inherited clothing is a natural form of sustainability. These pieces are often timeless and high quality, proving that classy fashion can be both stylish and eco-friendly,” remarks designer Adarsh Makharia. Actor Prateik Babbar also jumped on this trend as he dug up his late mother, Smita Patil’s archival garments and got two of her sarees recycled into a tuxedo and pants. This showcases a beautiful story of keeping his mother’s legacy alive.