Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama champions polka dots, as have Princesses Diana and Kate, Marilyn Monroe, Julia Roberts and Jennifer Lawrence – as well as brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior and Prada
Both Margot Robbie and Sienna Miller were spotted wearing polka dots to Wimbledon last year, while luxury brands from Valentino to Chloé and Dolce & Gabbana are also dotty over the spring/summer trend
A comprehensive retrospective of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama – still working aged 96 – showing at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne until April 21, indisputably confirms Kusama’s conviction that polka dots are fabulous.
Visitors inside the current Yayoi Kusama retrospective at Melbourne’s National Gallery of Victoria. Photo: Handout
Or to be on point, as it were, polka dots are fabulous once more. They’ve been worn by everyone from Marilyn Monroe in the 50s and 60s, to Princess Diana in the 80s and 90s. Indeed the inherent tension of the polka dot – both retro and timeless, flirty and prim – is part of its appeal. What other print is so suited to the unveiling of the future king of England? Cue Princess Kate, no stranger to a polka dot, wearing a spotted cornflower blue Jenny Packham dress to show off her new baby. And, for the most alluring summer dresses ever? Take a bow Sophia Loren, circa any time in history.
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Diana, Princess of Wales, rocking polka dots at the UK’s Royal Ascot race meeting in 1988. Photo: Getty Images
It’s the signature style for the second most famous mouse on earth, Minnie, and the brown polka dot dress worn by Julia Roberts’ character Vivian in 90s classic movie Pretty Woman remains an eternal reference for designers and fashion people alike.
Polka dots have taken over runways again this past year, from Marni to Maison Margiela, Balmain to Batsheva, in all kinds of fits and sizes.
Kate, then Duchess of Cambridge, and William, then Prince of Cambridge, posing for reporters with newborn Prince George in 2013. Photo: AP
For Nicky Zimmermann, co-founder and creative director of the eponymous Australian brand, polka dots – heavily featured in the brand’s cruise 2025 collection, including on the ideal summer soirée backless evening dress – are an enduring love.
“I’ve always loved polka dots for the sense of fun and playfulness they can bring,” she says. “There is something timeless about them, they never feel outdated and their versatility can add a modern touch to any piece.”
Jennifer Lawrence in charmingly spotty custom Dior Haute Couture, at the 2024 Oscars in Hollywood. Photo: Getty Images
