Junya Watanabe
Japanese designer Junya Watanabe constantly challenges tradition, creating his own sculptural universe and inviting us to participate. In his debut in the Parisian scene for the Spring/Summer 2024 season, Watanabe offered a valuable lesson on androgynous geometry.
Photos Credit: instagram/junyawatanabe
This season, Watanabe maintained a grumpy tone, aligned with the punk look, while his models exhibited an insolent attitude. His collection of 38 looks embraced various shapes and sizes, providing a true artistic masterclass that explored modern silhouettes.
Sharp necklines and hems took prominence, complementing the style with wide shoulders and puffy sleeves that turned into voluminous clothes, combined with biker shorts. The zipper pieces stood out in vibrant shades of blue and red.
Watanabe reinvented the classic biker jacket with angular lines, featuring versions with empty sleeves and metal buckles. The jeans were raised to waist height, creating a wide aesthetic with elongated sleeves and vertical collars. The final look shone in white, with elegant tweed fabrics, baggy pants and a studded choker necklace.
This collection challenged gender norms, abandoning the femininity usually associated with Watanabe’s female line in favor of more robust silhouettes and elements inspired by the male line. The Watanabe woman, as a sartorial expression, dismissed excessive explanations and was ready to start over, demonstrating her love for Harajuku-style communities and her willingness to challenge conventions.
Vivienne Westwood
The iconic British designer Dame Vivienne Westwood left us nine months ago, leaving a void in our hearts, her family, friends and her dedicated widower, Andreas Kronthaler. Andreas Kronthaler led the brand’s design department for many decades and, last season, paid an exciting tribute to his beloved partner through a deeply sentimental collection.
For Spring/Summer 2024, Kronthaler plunged into Westwood’s revolutionary wardrobe, cataloging his pieces and recreating them in 39 stunning looks. The presentation named “43 Old Town” was inspired by its unmistakable style, and began with a live musical performance that captivated the audience.
Several of Vivienne’s fashion archives, from 2004 to 2012, were masterfully reinvented. In an exclusive behind-the-scenes interview of the parade granted to Hypebeast, Kronthaler shared his inspiration:
“The collection is a compilation of all the clothes that Vivienne wore and all the clothes we have created together in the last 30 years. In May, I organized her wardrobe in our house, which is why I named the collection ‘43 Old Town’. I knew this would be the next collection somehow, but I didn’t know how to approach it, because there were more than 200 looks. I photographed each one, put all the numbers in a hat and selected 34, because these are the years I met Vivienne. The choice of looks was random, just as they appeared on the catwalk. Some of them were expected, like the first, which she used for almost every day over 20 years.”
The brand celebrated its British roots with a special focus on tailoring, an element that has always been part of Westwood’s wardrobe. Kronthaler highlighted the importance of this British aspect of fashion, which, despite being highly refined, maintains a playful and non-formal aura. Westwood used this tailoring constantly throughout his relationship with Kronthaler, making it an essential part of his distinctive style.
Hermès
In the picturesque setting of the Garde Républicaine in Paris, the most venerable fashion house in France revealed its long-awaited Spring/Summer 2024 collection amid a field of rustic flowers. Since taking over the rudder of Hermès, Nadège Vanhée-Cybulski has demonstrated an exceptional ability to play the long game. Now, as she approaches a decade in charge of the brand, a period that has been universally applauded, the talented Belgian designer continues to present her dynamic interpretations of the DNA that shaped the 186-year history of Hermès. A notable example of this is the viral clogging shoe that left the fashion world in a frenzy, all struggling to get their own pair.
In this collection, following the trend of its Autumn/Winter 2023 parade at the beginning of the year, the color palette unfolded in a smooth and timeless way. As the show progressed, shades of a rich wine gradually gave way to taupe neutrals, black, navy blue and vivid red, culminating in an elegant deep plum. The collection presented a variety of monochrome looks that were differentiated by textures and levels created by intelligent cuts.
The leather, an iconic element of the brand, was revitalized through inspiring contrasts. It mixed with raffia in bags, adorned the lapels of nylon coats and composed the upper part of cotton shorts.
The accessories shone in this collection. The generous trapezoid bags were adorned with charming details in straw and wild flowers, while the spacious circular shoulder bags stood out as must-have items of the season. A Birkin in cold shades of brown made its debut, but the smaller square top strap bags also emerged as a fun addition to the notoriously unique label.
If there is anything we can learn from the work of Nadège Vanhée-Cybulski, it is that she maintains a constant curiosity, always in search of new inspirations and challenges.
Elie Saab
The Palais de Tokyo became the setting where the waves became palpable, the moon hovering like a silver star over the walkway. Elie Saab captured her light, reflecting it in metallic tones that seemed to dance along an imaginary sea expanse, as if the waters were inhabited by scaly and colorful creatures.
Summer dresses, light and fluid, with cut-out hems, presented the freshness of English lace in a generous white. Organza flowers with citrus tones bloom from the monochrome hems of silk jackets. Sapphires, rubies and platinum chains created an optical illusion, involving a white kaftan adorned with an elegant cape. Of course, the celebration would not be complete without the raffia leather platforms, mini top strap bags and stunning gemstone jewelry.
The lingerie dresses succeeded each other, an uninterrupted symphony of lace, rhinestones and other precious inlays in light and translucent fabrics, in vibrant colors such as sky blue, pink, green and yellow. This wardrobe traced the profile of a majestic mermaid, balancing on breathtaking platform sandals. It was also a tribute to handicrafts, which made it possible to make these meticulous embroideries, direct heirs of the haute couture collections.
In his collection notes, the designer described the woman Elie Saab as someone “always ready for meetings in the light of the moon, in radiant looks during the day that turn into stunning night visions”.
Comme des Garçons
COMME des GARÇONS, under the vision of Rei Kawakubo, transcends mere fashion, transforming itself into an artistic expression of great scope, where clothes gain their own voice. If the Autumn/Winter 2023 collection explored the origins of life, the Spring/Summer 2024 of COMME des GARÇONS brings a sculptural vision in 19 striking looks.
The word “Overjoyed” (in Portuguese, “Extasiado”) would accurately describe the optimism exhibited by Rei Kawakubo this season. In her traditional one-line statement, she expressed: “To escape the dark present, I hope to present a bright and light future.” In times of despair, stubbornness has its value, and in the universe of Comme des Garçons, this stubbornness was literally manifested in giant silhouettes, abundantly decorated with cheerful colors and ornaments.
The models was in an extended catwalk, surrounded by the public, eager to contemplate Kawakubo’s latest creations. They wore lush hats that resembled cartoon wigs, cut at the height of the cheekbones, in the image of Kawakubo’s characteristic hairstyle. Comme des Garçons’ Spring/Summer 2024 collection effectively breaks with the dark days of autumn, illuminating everything around it.
The collection’s show began with voluminous sets, where layered petals adorned belts, followed by geometric biker shorts in primary tones. Flowers and plants bloomed in ruffled coats, while various patterns collide in bulbous creations. Swollen ribbons enriched clothes with historical female characters, transforming witty costumes into futuristic visions with lace details.
Guided by Kawakubo’s hope, the collection was a visual therapy, where each motive and technique sought to implant a sense of joy in the viewer’s brain. Multicolored geometric formations had an almost hypnotic effect, while repetitive images merged with three-dimensional textures and lace overlays added visual complexity.
The show culminated in a moment of resilience, with the models forming a barrier in the middle of the catwalk, blocking the view of the public. This seemed to be a protest, an insistence of Kawakubo for a more cheerful environment. Her demonstration of hope was pure and sometimes childish, as evidenced by the colorful wigs of the models and the oversized sneakers adorned with toys and multicolored precious stones.
Alexander McQueen
Sarah Burton, the renowned British designer, has been Alexander McQueen’s guide since 1996, bringing a contemporary perspective to the brand. She worked in close collaboration with the legendary Lee Alexander McQueen until his tragic departure in 2010, assuming the position of Creative Director for 13 years and elevating the relentless vision of its founder to a global scale.
The grandiose event that marked the parade of Sarah Burton’s final collection for the British House was awaited with great expectation. Excited crowds gathered, eager to witness the magic, while international celebrities such as I.N of Stray Kids, Elle Fanning and Yara Shahidi illuminated the place with their presence.
The intergalactic scenario merged with realistic sounds of birds and explosions, transporting everyone to a distinct world. “This show is a tribute to Lee Alexander McQueen,” said the notes of the event, “whose desire has always been to empower women, and to the passion, talent and loyalty of my team.”
Named “ANATOMY II”, Burton’s collection celebrated her long legacy at Alexander McQueen, celebrating women in every way. The inspiration extracted from Queen Elizabeth I, the red roses and the Polish sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz (whose art adorned the place) added layers of meaning. The designer’s impressive Spring/Summer 2024 collection had a striking opening with Kaia Gerber wearing a tailor-made costume, with striking seams and cut-out details. Soon after, a suit with red fringes added a mystical touch, while the red roses bloomed in satin dresses.
Golden dresses adorned with rosettes were accented by audacious leather corsets, which carved the natural shapes of the models, while cut-out suits gained pointed chest covers in shiny leather. The theme of blood pulsating through the veins was symbolically represented in crotchet designs, a tribute to McQueen’s historical legacy. The parade culminated with an impressive entrance of Naomi Campbell in a bright metallic costume, leaving all the models thrilled as they walked down the catwalk. The audience responded with a warm standing ovation, marking the exciting end of Sarah Burton’s journey in the House. Sarah Burton’s latest collection for Alexander McQueen allowed us to appreciate his revolutionary approach, recalling her iconic design language that will continue to influence the House in the coming years.
Ann Demeulemeester
During the night of last Saturday, during Paris Fashion Week, Ann Demeulemeester started an exciting new chapter. Stefano Gallici, previously responsible for the design of the brand’s men’s fashion and now occupying the position of creative director, revealed his first collection for Spring/Summer 2024 in a remote warehouse on the outskirts of the city. After the brief passage of Ludovic de Saint Sernin, who led the brand for only six months, Gallici presented a collection that honors memorable moments from Demeulemeester’s archive, incorporating a contemporary punk touch.
The first looks exhibited Gallici’s dominance over the brand’s archetypes: genderless suits were adorned with subversive details, black dresses were dramatically sophisticated, and boldness stood out as a key element in many sets.
The color palette of the collection began predominantly in black and white, until a transparent blue dress brought out a vibe reminiscent of Demeulemeester’s 90s. This same shade appeared twice as much – in a pair of straight pants and in a belted dress – interrupting the predominance of neutral colors with a striking reminder of the brand’s legacy.
The belts played a key role in the collection, being a constant element. They seemed to be tied and intertwined around the waist in often chaotic ways. Although restrictive in his appearance, there was a sense of freedom in his fluid nature, capturing the core of Gallici’s vision: “to be as you want”.
In the designer’s words, this is a collection that offers the freedom “to build personal mental landscapes and dress them accordingly, wearing clothes that are carefully designed to look undefined, allowing each individual to play with each piece and make it unique”. An exciting new start for Ann Demeulemeester under the creative guidance of Stefano Gallici.