Everyone in fashion has found the H-spot, but not everyone is feeling it

For five years the H-spot has given designers, stylists and celebrities unrivalled pleasure, despite attempts from the navel, keyhole cut-outs and jockstraps to stage a trend takeover. The H stands for hips, exposed by side cut-outs in slinky dresses or low-slung jeans and skirts worn with body suits or dipping corset tops, providing a pelvic peek-a-boo.

Despite its advanced age, with square-toe sandals having come and gone since its arrival, the exposed hip continues rearing its bony edge on the runway, at Dion Lee and LaQuan Smith’s latest collections at New York Fashion Week and in Sir The Label’s new range. On the red carpet, Wet Leg offered a flash of flesh in Diesel on the Brit Awards red carpet, followed by Jodie Turner Smith in silver Zuhair Murad.

Australian designer Nadia Bartel is capitalising on the trend’s staying power, with pieces from her Henne label designed to showcase an exposed belt line.

Bartel wore the ventilated silhouette to last week’s launch of the Melbourne Fashion Festival at Victoria’s Government House, with a corset-inspired jacket worn with a micro-mini, where oversized pockets draped beneath the hemline.

“Our customer loves this sexy and modern silhouette, with flashes of skin emphasising the natural curves of the body,” Bartel says. “Our pieces are designed to be worn for both leisure and activity. From the beach to an afternoon catch-up with friends. It is a simple and lightweight look, practical for hot climates like our Aussie summers.”

At beaches the trend is being given greater longevity with low shorts and tracksuit pants worn low with high-cut, one-piece swimsuits, further complicating tan lines.

Despite the style’s appearance on the runway and in campaigns on women with flat stomachs and skinny frames, Bartel says the cut-out is flattering on curvy women, having photographed plus-size models in Henne cut-outs swimsuits with tights for her campaigns.

“Our one-piece with its bold cut-outs was designed with a confident approach to form,” Bartel says. “The piece allows individuals to embrace and accentuate their curves.”