Of course, an epic story deserves epic fashion. While the stars of Christopher Nolan’s explosive summer blockbuster odyssey remained swaying on the red carpetWe’ve been time-traveling through our archives, collecting fashion images that directly evoke Homer’s classic tale of heartbreak, drama, fantasy and romance. However, from an aesthetic point of view, odyssey The style generally favored garments that exposed the natural body, unbound within loose, free-flowing draperies and folds, rather than controlled by boning or corsetry, as was so prevalent in later eras (and in the fall 2026 couture shows).
The visual essay below features excellent examples of the techniques that designers have used over the years to replicate the ideals of classical dress, including draping, pleating, twisting, and wrapping.
Some of these costumes were created by designers who were referencing their own Greek roots, among them Jean Dessés, Dimitra Petsa, Sofia Kokosalaki and Marie Katrantzou. Meanwhile, pleating was another popular way for designers to replicate the look of ancient sculpture. Method – developed by Mariano Fortuny and Henriette Negrin for their unique silk Delphos dresses (worn by some characters) reminiscence of the past) about 120 years ago – never copied, but Mary McFadden made an attempt, developing a plissé polyester material she called Mary. Another notable sculptor of clothes (often jersey) was the mysterious Madame Grace (Germaine Amélie Krebs), to whom countless designers have paid homage, including Yohji Yamamoto, Mossy Traoré, Richard Malone, and Francesco Murano.
Despite this, fashion history is replete with references to the gods, goddesses and mortals who populate these monumental stories. Below, take a look at some of our favorite legendary runway looks for latter-day Penelope and Athenas.