Walking Into Spiderwebs

Alice McColm, Vera Wang, and Nicole Miller

Listen up people. Arachnophobia is so last year.

It would appear that designers have been bitten by the black widow herself, given the recent surge of spiderweb-inspired clothing and accessories. Simultaneously weightless and complex, the spiderweb in fashion dates back centuries, first used by the Kucong Tribe in Southwest China's Yunnan Province to weave ceremonial shawls. It gained widespread popularity during the Victorian era as cobweb lace, and then again in the 1920's and 1940's, as designers pushed the envelope of macabre fashion.

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More recently, the spiderweb has been associated with gothic fashion, a dark homage to the potentially fatal sting of arachnid species. But I have a hunch that the combined lure of of its delicate frame and implied seduction is the current draw for designers. Either that, or a subliminal nod to the cougar, given her prey drive and venomous tendencies. (Run, boys. Run!)

Boohoo Lara Cobwebbed Design Oversized Lace Top

Marjan Pejoski Tulle Stretch Spiderweb Leggings

Roberto Cavalli Spiderweb Sandal

Maison Martin Margiela Spiderweb Waistcoat

Akaya Nishi Spiderweb Necklace

L'Agence Silk Spiderweb Tank ~ Juicy Couture Crystal Spiderweb Tee

Delfina Delettrez Moon Stone Spiderweb Bracelet

L'Agence Silk Spiderweb Tunic

Sue Devitt Microacquatic Luxury Lash Intensifier

Alice Auaa Spiderweb Shirt