Chainmail storms fashion world as designers offer up ‘liquid metal’ garments

Versace, Rabanne and H&M are among brands creating shimmering looks for their collections

Fashion is awash with a fabric that calls to mind armour and dancing; from mesh bras at Mango to miniskirts at Urban Outfitters, chainmail is everywhere.

Earlier this week the fashion label Rabanne and the high street chain H&M released the full lookbook for their upcoming collaboration, which had full chainmail vests and dresses. While in Milan last month, Claudia Schiffer made her return to the Versace catwalk after a six-year hiatus wearing a chequerboard chainmail dress. In menswear, too, delicate chainmail has been gracing catwalks and torsos.