Why Versace, Valentino and Balmain looked to the 1990s for their spring/summer collections

Just a few years ago, it might have seemed like heresy to suggest fashion from the 1990s would ever make a comeback. Grunge plaid, pleated skirt suits, crushed velvet, T-shirts under slip dresses, overalls – all of these styles ran rampant back then. The inspiration came from fashion icons who ranged from glam first-name-only supermodels to the personality-infused Spice Girls, whose associated fashion statements veered from simple white button-down shirts to Union flag-emblazoned rompers. And yet, as the spring runway shows proved, the 1990s are definitely back.

This season, the 1990s tribute reached critical mass. There were polka dots and plenty of leather, lingerie-inspired slip dresses and body-con numbers, as well as frocks cut on the bias and draped oh-so-artfully.

French fashion designer Olivier Rousteing took his final walk down the runway in one, albeit a collarless white version with more discreet dotting. He packed 1990s references into his show – after all, the creative director of Balmain grew up in the Britney Spears era. If there was any doubt as to his inspiration, that was confirmed by a soundtrack that included Spears, Backstreet Boys and other icons.

Early 1990s neons certainly aren’t the norm at ladylike Valentino, but Pierpaolo Piccioli made them work, churning out a modest gown with a high neck, long balloon sleeves and tiered maxi skirt that, while paying homage to another generation, could only have been made today. He also mixed the bright hues in as accents on virginal white, sheer, embroidered long dresses. His plays on the white shirt were many and will certainly be much in demand: there was a wraparound shirt dress, a buttoned-to-the-top belted version with big sleeves and ankle-grazing skirt, a collarless mini with a peekaboo panel, a poet blouse paired with short shorts, a ruffled bib-front fantasy and an A-line tent dress.

Minimal staples were also on the agenda at Riccardo Tisci’s Burberry. You’d think grunge-y, My So-Called Life-inspired plaid would be a great nod, particularly given the popularity of checks in the recent autumn/winter season, but Tisci generally prefers to buck expectations. He did so by switching out the sleeves for scarves for his white shirts, or skipping the shirts altogether; one model came down the catwalk with a matching waistcoat under a suit jacket and nothing else underneath – it’s easy to forget this short cut was popular in the early 1990s.