The unique ‘70’s zeitgeist: reflections on the Maldives fashion scene

A sense of island cool, combining Western style with island ways, really took off in the 1970’s. This was the decade when fashion began its transition in the Maldives. Malé was and is the national catwalk, although today one could argue that the real catwalk, along with life itself, is online. Anyway, it was then that the decorative Bollywood-influenced dupattas and saris of the 1960’s, broken up with the odd shift dress and beehive hair, began to make way for a more relaxed, informal vibe. The “influencers” were mainly the early Maldivian diaspora, coming from Sri Lanka, Singapore and very few from the UK. Television and tourism were just opening up, but in a slow and limited way. The early tourists were keen divers and dressed more for comfort than fashion, but they too were watched and noted during their Malé sightseeing trips.

Maldivians have always been excellent at imitating and adapting, helped by very skillful tailors and the variety of fabrics available in the shops. So before long you could see bell bottom trousers or blue jeans, short sleeve fitted tees, long sleeve boho blouses kurta style (this look has endured) and hippie midi dresses, slowly making their way into the street style, often worn with platform heels and clogs. The typical wavy, long Maldivian hair (in the days before keratin treatments or highlights), went perfectly with this natural look. Hair flowed freely with the absence of any head covering, except amongst the elderly ladies. Mullet hairstyles emerged. The clothes and hair reflected the zeitgeist: a certain freedom and refreshing openness to all possibilities.

The venue for showcasing Malé ‘70’s fashion was the Ice Ge café, which at night transformed into a disco with a live band. This was the place to see and be seen and the full spectrum of ‘70’s styles described above would be paraded there. As always, the Maldives was a snapshot of what was going on at the time elsewhere, when Studio 54 and Saturday Night Fever ruled the Western world. While we may not have rocked Bianca Jagger’s white trouser suit (or horse antics for that matter), we had our unique brand-free way of getting into the vibe. Today’s Malé fashion retains shades of the ‘70’s, especially when it comes to male fashion. The now popular surfer look is on the continuum of that retro feel. In contrast, women’s fashion seems to be evolving in various directions, reflecting the varying influences of social media, the now ubiquitous headcovering and brand fixation adding to the complexity. As we live through another heady transition, here’s to sticking to the basics. Namely, our unique island identity: the epitome of cool authenticity.