India, Feb. 7 -- You may have a snatched waist, but something is still missing. Enter the chunky belt. Straight out of the '90s playbook, the maximalist accessory is back on the waists of fashion's inner circle, with celebrities, luxury labels and runway regulars all tightening up on the trend.

Originally popularised alongside low-rise jeans and slip dresses, chunky belts were a defining accessory of '90s fashion. Often featuring oversized buckles, bold hardware or colourful, durable materials, they evolved from the excess of the '80s into statement styles such as chain belts, wide leather obi belts and casual webbed designs.

At the recently concluded Paris Haute Couture Week, the trend was hard to miss. Attendees at Schiaparelli's show...