As the third season of The White Lotus wraps up on Monday, the buzz surrounding the hit show continues to captivate audiences. While much of the discourse has revolved around fan theories and the alleged tension between creator Mike White and composer Cristóbal Tapia de Veer, one aspect stands out among the rest: fashion.
From the Tombolo crocodile-print shirt worn by Lochlan Ratliff to the Zimmermann halterneck dress worn by his sister Piper, the clothing in this season of The White Lotus has created an undeniable cultural phenomenon. One of the standout items, the Hunza G green bikini worn by Chloe, has already sold out online, showcasing the growing intersection between television and fashion.
Designers are increasingly recognizing The White Lotus as a prime platform for marketing their clothing. Simon Porte Jacquemus, for example, reached out to the show’s costume designer Alex Bovaird on Instagram before filming began, seeking a collaboration. This marks a reversal of the typical process, where costume designers usually approach brands for clothes. The collaboration resulted in two custom looks for Chloe, including a pink swimsuit and cover-up with a brimmed hat featured in the fourth episode.
Bovaird, who has been the costume designer for the series since its inception, often sources clothing from a mix of high-end showrooms, flea markets, and charity shops. In one instance, she found a unitard worn by Nadya in an Essex market. This mix of luxury and affordable items has become a hallmark of the show’s style. Bovaird also worked on a collaboration with H&M, which proved popular, with around half of the collection selling out.
TV shows have long played a role in boosting fashion sales, with Sex and the City and Mad Men paving the way for the impact of on-screen wardrobes. In recent years, shows like Euphoria, Emily in Paris, and Succession have helped elevate specific brands and styles into cultural relevance.
The White Lotus’s influence is particularly evident in the way its characters’ wardrobes have sparked widespread interest. For instance, Aimee-Lou Wood’s character Chelsea wears a hand-painted T-shirt by New York artist Scooter LaForge in the latest season, which has gained significant attention. LaForge’s Instagram following has skyrocketed, and while he doesn’t mass-produce his designs, sales have surged thanks to the exposure.
Similarly, when Chloe’s Hunza G bikini made its appearance on the show, the response was immediate. “My phone went crazy,” said Georgiana Huddart, the brand’s founder, upon seeing the bikini in the episode. The bikini sold out within a week, demonstrating the power of The White Lotus to turn niche fashion into a viral sensation.
Beyond product sales, The White Lotus has elevated certain brands, with Hunza G benefiting from the show’s wide-reaching demographic. Beth Bentley, founder of brand consultancy Tomorrowism, points out that the weekly release schedule of the series helps foster shared anticipation, a rarity in today’s fast-paced media landscape.
Despite the show’s sharp critique of the wealthy elite, its portrayal of luxurious fashion and the desire to emulate it has sparked an ironic cultural shift. Viewers may watch the show’s wealthy characters with disdain, yet they remain captivated by the style on display.
The future of TV and fashion collaboration looks promising. As Bentley predicts, more capsule collections and collaborations between brands and TV shows will emerge, with designers seeking even more control over how their pieces are featured. For costume designers like Bovaird, the continued influence on consumer wardrobes is a welcome change.
“People should be influenced by experts in how they dress,” Bovaird says. “We think about clothes all the time.”
As TV and fashion continue to collide, The White Lotus serves as a prime example of how style can become as influential as the stories themselves.
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