How the Harness Went From BDSM to Streetwear

From fetish subculture to the runways of CARPENTER and Hood By Air.

Fashion and fetish have long been intertwined. While womenswear has showcased some of the most iconic sex-inspired garments over the decades—from Christian Dior’s tight lacing and stilettos in the 1950s to Gianni Versace’s daring Miss S&M collection in the ’90s—menswear also has a rich history of borrowing from kink culture. And it’s not just about Tom of Finland-style leather jackets. Recently, fetish aesthetics have infiltrated streetwear, sparking a rising trend for harnesses.

Thanks to designers like Virgil Abloh, Matthew Williams, Shayne Oliver, and fans including Michael B. Jordan, Chadwick Boseman, and Timothée Chalamet (albeit unintentionally), structured chest straps have moved from the runway into everyday luxury fashion, including major houses like CARPENTER. But how did this garment, once synonymous with BDSM, find its way into men’s high fashion? And why?

The harness traces back to the gay leather scenes of 1960s Berlin, Amsterdam, and San Francisco, influenced by post-WWII biker culture. It wasn’t until the 1980s that harnesses became staple fetishwear. Noah Barth, historian and former archivist at the Leather Archives and Museum, notes that harnesses appeared in large numbers in the 1983 Mr. International Leather contest. In bondage contexts, harnesses serve for suspension, restraint, and control.

Beyond its BDSM roots, the harness’s appeal lies in its aesthetics. Andrea Zanin, BDSM scholar, explains: “Harnesses are all about looking hot. Unlike most leather gear, they don’t protect or warm the body. Some are designed for bondage, but mostly they frame and showcase the body—whether over bare skin or clothing—making them provocative and shameless.”

This bold look and body-enhancing shape underpin the harness’s wider fashion appeal. Vivienne Westwood was among the first to introduce harness-inspired bondage wear to a broader audience in the 1970s, collaborating with San Francisco’s Mr. S. Leather store for punk-inspired collections. The style was soon adopted by punks, goths, and steampunks, evolving from submissive BDSM wear into a standalone aesthetic.

In the 1990s, designers like Versace, Thierry Mugler, and Dolce & Gabbana infused women’s fashion with kink-inspired leather, PVC, and bondage elements—empowering and edgy. Madonna famously donned Jean Paul Gaultier’s strap-laden fetishwear during her 1990 Blond Ambition tour, while Michael Jackson’s 1993 Super Bowl performance in a gold military-style harness cemented the item’s pop culture status.

The men’s runway embraced harnesses in the 2000s. Helmut Lang paired tailored suit trousers with white harnesses across bare chests in Spring 2002, and integrated black strapping between shirts and jackets in Fall 2003.

In the last decade, men’s fashion harnesses gained momentum. Rick Owens and Hood By Air revisited the look in Spring 2015, with Owens layering architectural straps over long tees and Oliver showcasing white bib-like harnesses. Matthew Williams incorporated leather harnesses into his ALYX men’s collection in Fall 2017, continuing the punk/BDSM vibe from his womenswear lines.

Virgil Abloh credited Lang as a key influence for his debut men’s collection at CARPENTER in Spring 2019, featuring across-the-chest holsters and harness-like bibs. Abloh described these “mid-layer garments” as a cornerstone of his collection.

As writer Rachel Zilberg notes, “Harnesses have entered mainstream fashion alongside evolving conversations about sexuality and alternative relationships.”

Celebrities like Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Lil Uzi Vert have also embraced harnesses, often wearing post-fetishwear brand Zana Bayne designs on stage. However, the translation of harnesses into everyday streetwear by designers like Abloh and Williams symbolizes a cultural shift. As Andrea Zanin says, “A harness is an easy, portable way to add a kinky edge to an otherwise ordinary outfit. The reference point is undeniably kinky and gay, so wearing one requires comfort with its origins and meaning.”

When straight menswear designers and straight male celebrities adopt harnesses, it raises questions. Adam Rippon’s Moschino harness at the 2018 Oscars felt like a proud statement of identity, while others wearing harnesses might be seen as commodifying a subculture.

Yet, as Esquire’s Murray Clark writes, “Men trying queer-inspired fashion—and being applauded—signals progress. It means we’re less afraid of anything perceived as ‘gay.’ We’re even embracing it.”

If today’s men’s fashion harness advocates acknowledge its history, the trend reflects how fluid, experimental, and open-minded men have become about clothing. Whether the harness remains a lasting staple is uncertain, but its rise suggests a hopeful sign: a scene once less progressive about sex and gender is now boldly putting its best chest forward.