Could a Merkin Actually Be The New Birkin?

Pubic hair has always been a sensitive subject, including in the world of fashion and beauty. A Tom Ford-era Gucci ad featuring a semi-nude model with a “G” below her waistband (hand-shaped by hairstylist Orlando Pita), caused an absolute stir in 2004; and it wasn’t just the porcelain-doll beauty look that broke the internet at John Galliano’s viral Maison Margiela Artisanal show last year: the hand-embroidered merkins made of human hair and silk did, too. In the post-show chatter, some wondered if, after an era defined by porno-level smoothness, a Margiela merkin could become a new fashion status symbol, like a Birkin bag. Then, after the phrase “ full bush in a bikini ” earwormed its way into the cultural zeitgeist via TikTok earlier this year, it was official—full pubic hair was b