Decades of remakes, rewrites, and generational misremembrance assembled the present-day Monster. Not unlike an echo chamber, Shelley’s portrait of the monster was reformed into the towering, stitched, and bolt-adorned creature seen in the mainstream. The film industry’s adaptation possessed permanence in pop culture, becoming the eternal image of the original novel.
By nature of Frankenstein’s reputation in the horror genre, costumes inspired by the characters took center stage. Every year on Halloween night, replications of the Monster and Dr. Frankenstein stalk the streetside—a reminder that Shelley’s fantasy is still deeply entwined with the reality of pop culture.
On the high-brow end of fashion, though, the exaggeration of Shelley’s fictional characters is drawn back to reveal the idiosyncrasies of Gothic Romanticism and contemporary fashion. Overstated silhouettes, fine details, and ornamental embellishments coexist with moody color palettes and aristocratic styling. Often, these elements walk the runway without being a direct reference to the era, let alone Frankenstein. However, when designers come forward to elect Shelley as their source of inspiration, their designs carry the weight of a narrative that transcends trend cycles.
