Fashion's Love Affair with Fruits and Vegetables

The fashion industry often seeks inspiration from the most unlikely places, such as space travel, construction, and even escalators. Yet, there are some design inspirations that many designers turn to decade after decade that are a little closer to home, and they are fruit and vegetables.

Fashion houses of every caliber have a fondness for incorporating fruit and vegetables into their designs, and celebrities and fashionistas aren't afraid to wear them. The produce aisle is even inspiring eco-friendly designs that could transform the industry. Continue reading to learn about fashion's love affair with fruit and vegetables.

Tomato-Girl Summer

If you haven't heard of Tomato-Girl Summer, it is a viral TikTok trend that is encouraging people to wear looks inspired by the Mediterranean coast or any destination associated with tomato-based dishes. 

The trend focuses on pairing red hues with sophisticated neutrals like tan, white, and black, and many people incorporate splashes of blue or green shades you would likely find on Mediterranean ceramics or beaches. Plus, silver and warm gold accents are often used to add a touch of luxe to the Tomato-Girl aesthetic.

The fabrics must complement the coastal outfits, too. For instance, breathable linen and cotton materials will provide a lightweight, comfortable fit that's ideal for spring and summer. 

Also, you could wear silhouettes that are likely to appear in a romance novel. Think sweetheart necklines, maxi dresses, midi skirts, and ruffles.

Fruit Fashion

Tomatoes aren't the only fruit dominating the fashion industry. Many fashionistas have chosen to freshen their looks with fruit-based fashion over the years, which has become more commonplace since the food group dominated Instagram in 2021. 

Fruit and vegetables have become a fun, whimsical alternative to floral jewelry, bags, and accessories. The bold colors retain the bright and pretty aesthetic of flowers but have a more eccentric and humorous appeal.

As Judith Leiber isn't afraid to step outside the box, you can discover many unique fruit designs across various collections. For instance, you can treat yourself to a crystal-adorned Crescent Lemon or Crescent Watermelon evening bag, as they can give your style a bright, fun, and juicy makeover. Or you can create a summer-ready style with the Popsicle Frozen Fruit clutch covered in crystals, which will ensure you command attention at any event.

Fruit-Inspired Fashion Collections

As fruit and vegetables are a fun and daring alternative to floral prints, many of the world's top fashion houses have used the two food groups to create bold runway looks. For instance, Tomato-Girl Summer isn't new to the fashion world, as Hubert de Givenchy's Salt-White dress with tomato is the likely inspiration behind the trend, which was part of the designer's 1953 series of embroidered dresses.

In 1993, Cynthia Rowley proved food and fashion are a match made in heaven with her sweetcorn and tomato printed rayon dresses. Also, few fashionistas will forget Prada's famous banana print collection presented at SS in 2011; the trend was adopted by countless fashion gurus soon after, including Vogue's Anna Wintour.

If this wasn't all, Stella McCartney's Spring 2011 Ready to Wear Collection heavily featured orange and lemon prints that made fruits increasingly popular in fashion.

The latest fashion collections continue with the fruit and vegetable trend, such as fruit salad-inspired designs from Collina Strada, abstract appliqued apples from Etro, and the Carolina Herrera cherry pattern gowns that recently appeared in Emily in Paris.

Food-Inspired Pop Culture

Many of the world's biggest celebrities have differentiated their styles through the power of food-inspired designs. For example, most people would struggle to forget Lady Gaga's meat dress from the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.

However, fruit and vegetables have been used heavily in pop culture. Fashion icon Marilyn Monroe ditched the predictable floral patterns in favor of a cherry pattern dress on the set of The Misfits in 1961. Since then, many more celebrities have rocked cherry-inspired outfits from top designers like Moschino and Dolce & Gabbana, including Kim Kardashian, Margot Robbie, and Dua Lipa.

Katy Perry is no stranger to juicy looks, either. She wore a Fruit Basket dress to the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2009, which features bedazzled watermelons, bananas, and strawberries.

Plus, she wore a banana-sequin outfit with matching gloves to the 2008 MTV Music Video Awards, catching the attention of the fashion world. Not long after, Judith Leiber proudly collaborated with the Fireworks singer to create the oversized Katy Perry Mushroom handbag in sparkling red and champagne.

How to Adopt the Fruit and Vegetable Trend

If you want to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Katie Perry, you can choose from many fruit and vegetable-inspired clutches, bags, and accessories from Judith Leiber.

You will look ready for summer with the vibrant and stylish Orange Slice novelty handbag, which is adorned in beautiful crystals and complemented by champagne-toned metal hardware. Alternatively, you could freshen up an outfit with a Popsicle Watermelon novelty handbag, which you can pair with a Watermelon Slice Pillbox.

From lemons to oranges, there is a crystal-adorned bag, clutch, or accessory to help you develop a fresh, fashionable, and fruity style that will turn heads.

Conclusion

Fruit and vegetable fashion designs can add color and shape to your clothing and accessories. Wearing one or more fruit and vegetables can add a sense of humor to your style, allowing you to express your personality through your clothing.

Due to the many shapes, colors, and varieties available, the food groups are almost a natural source of design inspiration, which is why they have appeared in countless fashion collections throughout the years.

Plus, many designers incorporate fruit and vegetables into their designs to connect with nature, and the recognizable foods can add a touch of comfort and wholesomeness to clothing.

As mentioned, there are many ways to wear fruit and vegetable-inspired designs. If you want to try this yourself, our website is the place for you. You could go bold by wearing an eye-catching watermelon or tomato dress or add a splash of personality to a little black dress by pairing it with a fun Pineapple Hawaiian clutch or a Golden Pumpkin handbag.