The figure is back for fall

MANILA, Philippines - Ever since Hervé Legér came up with the 2000s reincarnation of the bandage dress, women waited with bated breaths and sucked-in bellies for the rest of the fashion world to follow suit and for the eventual demise — or slacking off — of the slouchy top, the empire-cut and the shapeless tunic.

It seems that time has arrived. Tight, or rather body-conscious, is back, molding to hip bones with jazzed-up biker shorts at Alexander Wang, emphasizing the waist with sex kitten dresses at Betsey Johnson, and discriminately hugging every curve at Narciso Rodriguez.

They say it’s the ‘80s comeback but the body-conscious trend actually harkens back to ‘90s minimalism, when the only accessories you needed were a pair of killer pumps and a spanking bod.                   —AGK