🔗 Share this article

Although the legendary New York venue Studio 54 closed nearly four decades ago, its distinct fashion influence continues strong.

This season, the focus isn't on see-through bodysuits but on the plush, fuzzy coats and stoles worn by style icons and party enthusiasts as well.

With the festive social calendar approaching, the distinctive Studio 54 coat is experiencing a major resurgence.

Retail Data Shows the Trend

One of the most popular items from a recent collaboration between a major retailer and a London label is a short, off-white, shaggy jacket with giant lapels.

At a leading department store, searches for brown fake fur coats have jumped 190% year on year.

The demand for pre-owned plush items is also soaring, with searches for synthetic fur growing by 257% in the past six months on a popular secondhand platform.

"It's a statement coat," says a senior style expert, adding that it serves as the main element of an outfit.

The editor likes to style her personal colossal shaggy version with low-rise jeans or leggings and micro shorts.

Television Fashion Echoes the Look

This style is replicated in a new Netflix romcom series, where a sister wears a toffee-colored furry jacket to a casual dinner.

When questioned about her bold outfit, the character responds, "You told us to dress up. That's style!"

The Rise of the "Boom Boom" Aesthetic

The trend aligns with what an American style analyst is terming "glam excess."

Rooted in the glamour and opulence of the 1980s New York, this aesthetic evokes wealth, bubbly, smoking, short skirts, carefree attitudes and, naturally, fur.

Similar to that era, the trend is set against a uncertain economy.

Boom boom is all about embodying the life you aspire to rather than the one you have to endure.

Modern Fabrics and Playful Luxury

While real fur was omnipresent during Studio 54's heyday, current iterations are mostly made from lambskin—a secondary product of the meat industry—or man-made fabrics like polyester.

The trend embodies a knowing luxury—as if a beloved character has taken charge with exaggerated proportions and unexpected hues.

Celebrity Endorsement and Limited Releases

An English creator was an pioneer of this trend. Her shaggy coats with curly textures have been worn by top pop stars.

Because of high interest, these coats are now only sold in limited collections. An upcoming release includes a rose and charcoal version similar to a large pom-pom, as well as animal and zebra-print versions with exaggerated fluffy trim.

"If you can only buy a single item, you don't want it to be a basic sweater or a pair of ordinary pants, you want something dramatic," says a magazine editor-in-chief.

The sentiment is shared by a style head at a major store, who describes it "an unexpected, fun element" that doesn't require a complete ensemble.

Final Spirit Lifter

Ultimately, the shaggy coat can act as a great mood lifter.

"It doesn't have to cost a fortune," notes the expert, "and it's going to make you feel glamorous when everything else is pretty gloomy."