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The bush is back: from Doja Cat and Jean Paul Gaultier to Kim Kardashian’s Skims
STORYCarolina Malis
For decades, hairlessness has ruled, but Bushtok and brands like Billie and Estrid show the tide is turning towards celebrating body hair
When Kim Kardashian dropped Skims’ latest campaign, proudly dubbed The Ultimate Bush, the internet did what it often does – it exploded. The campaign showed models wearing thongs adorned with faux pubic hair – a bold and unexpected move from a brand whose founder is often seen as the epitome of smooth, flawless perfection.
Within 24 hours, WWD reported that the collection had sold out, proving that, whether you loved it or loathed it, everyone was talking about it. Kardashian herself joined in the fun, posting a close-up video of the thongs to her Instagram, showing each variation.
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This isn’t the first time Kardashian has used underwear to stir the conversation. Skims has a habit of pushing boundaries, from its viral faux-nipple bra launch two years ago to this latest creation. But provocative or not, the drop fits right into fashion’s current fixation with turning the “unmentionable” into the main event.
Last year, John Galliano had models at the Margiela show walk down the runway wearing merkins (pubic wigs) beneath sheer gowns. And just recently, designer Duran Lantink took things further at Jean Paul Gaultier, printing full-length images of luxuriantly hairy nude bodies onto tailored suits. If anything, Skims is simply reflecting the prevailing mood, and perhaps foreshadowing a future of hairy workout leggings.
But the fascination isn’t limited to fashion houses. At the 2024 Grammys, Doja Cat added her own wink to the conversation. Wearing a custom Dilara Fındıkoğlu gown, the rapper appeared to reveal a pubic bush beneath the sheer fabric. The internet, of course, zoomed in immediately. Whether it was intentional or not became almost irrelevant: the image took on a life of its own, sparking think pieces and TikToks dissecting how far red carpet looks can and should go.
For decades, the bare look has reigned supreme. The 1990s and early 2000s were a golden era of Brazilian waxes, laser removal and low-rise jeans that left little room for mystery. Smoothness was sold in terms of hygiene, desirability and control, an unspoken requirement of being “put together”. But after years of women – and some men – being relentlessly stripped, plucked and polished, body hair is making a confident return.
“Beauty trends move like a pendulum,” says Rachel Couvrey from US-based GiGi Wax & Spa. “Whenever we reach an extreme, like total hairlessness, or hyper-curation, we eventually crave something that feels real again.”
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