The notion of modern femininity fell into two separate camps at the Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter ’24 showcases. It was divided into two — the “fantasy” and the “reality”. The fantasy-inspired fashions of the first category are meant to envelop the viewer (and wearer) in a world where fashion can be viewed as an escape. The latter are perhaps more wearable pieces. The first allows for the dreaming while the second is more functional. There is also something to be said about a collection when it’s men design for women as opposed to women designing for women. Ultimately they all fall under the bigger picture of “What are brands contributing to the feminist narrative?”
Alexander McQueen
Seán McGirr at Alexander McQueen took on the notion of “revealing the animal within” for the McQueen Fall/Winter ’24 collection. As the collection opened with a black laminated knitted jersey distorted drape dress, there was a hint of what lay beneath the surface. Look 7 brought knitwear to the fore, a jumper in black hand-knitted wool with a quadruple neck and a skirt made of black silk nylon tarpaulin. Next, grey shearling with tufted wool was added to a tulle-based base. A jumper made of charcoal and red wool rib knitting embroidered with patches and statues followed. The collection referenced the late Alexander McQueen’s “The Birds” Spring ’95 collection. The only setback is that McGirr and McQueen — both share in common — sometimes, perhaps put significant weight onto aesthetics over function as seen on the final dress which was a “car dress in blue steel”. It was difficult to move the pieces. This can be seen as a limitation in one of two ways. These women are warriors, and their hard outer clothing is used both as a means of protection and walking art. However, the model’s hindered movement steers the collection further into the realm of fantasy than wearability.
Balenciaga
Balenciaga was a deconstructed, super-fluid tailoring. Some pieces in the collection were made up of designs that took only a minute to create. They used various clothing items, sewed together into a new garment. One of the most striking pieces was a gown made from lingerie. Elsewhere, three hoodies were combined to make a dress, with the lowermost piece being inverted so that the sleeves formed a mermaid tail which was intended to be a reinterpretation of Cristobal Balenciaga’s “Bubble Dress”. Demna’s reason for this form of experimentation was to question the notion of luxury while finding beauty in scarcity, in a world oversaturated with content. Demna forged the notion of “rarity” by reworking the concept of beauty and looking at how the body interacts with the clothing. While crafted from unorthodox materials, Demna’s awareness of the wearer is ultimately commendable as he puts function ahead of concept and aesthetics, something the designer had balanced within his collections past.
Saint Laurent
Saint Laurent eliminated the hypersexualization and sensationalisation the of naked female body. Anthony Vaccarello figuratively (and sometimes literally), made clothes invisible by creating figure-hugging, silk dresses that mimicked sheer undergarments. Transparency was at the forefront as the distance between garment and skin was minimized. This was done provocatively but not in poor taste. This was the point after all — can the purity of the naked body be provocative? Is it a celebration or feminine artifice? Frisson aside, tailored pieces also employed the same fluidity — from a crepe georgette suit that appears to liquify on the body to the immaterial levity of a coat made of countless marabou feathers. The collection saw women having agency over their own bodies, resiliently so at a time when women’s rights are being questioned and their voices censored. This collection was not censored, and empowered the Saint Laurent woman with her confidence.
LOEWE
LOEWE’s Fall/Winter’24 showcase was on the cusp of conceptual and contemporary. While abstract florals adorned printed trousers and dresses; neckties, and sculptural mini-dresses, the collection also highlighted a juxtaposition of masculine with feminine. Bespoke tailoring translated into sleek aviator coats, flowing slacks, straight cut trousers and draped dress. While the palatte was set against the backdrop of Albert York’s paintings, the collection picked up on surrealism using ostrich as a trompe l’oeil hyper real print while 3D checks and tartans were created to look like they were melting.
Chloe
The Chloe collection by German designer Chemena kamali was deeply personal, based on the emotional attachment she felt to the House. The collection championed the woman’s spirit and it was about embracing natural beauty with a sense of “freedom and undone-ness”. Chiffon draped and flowed beautifully as the collection’s embellishments uplifted the femininity of the showcase. The collection was a progression of women at different stages in their lives, and how they can use it as a tool to discover themselves. The pieces brought back the sensuality and natural femininity that was popular in the 1970s. “The fluidity, motion, and movement of the Chloé silhouette is all about this freedom,” writes Kamali. The collection was a fusion of feminine instinct and freedom, and a perfect example of what men and woman can do when designing clothing for women.
Dior
Maria Grazia Chiuri drew inspiration from the 1960s transitional era, resulting in a collection of practical items that retained imagination and dynamicism. The collection was inspired by cosmopolitans, highlighting independent women who are determined to make a name for their work. The pieces facilitated movement while enhancing the woman’s body without constricting it. The Miss Dior logo in a palette consisting of browns, blues and reds created a stir, but the pieces could be worn in any situation, whether at work, or for leisure. Adjustable scarves were paired with compact outerwear, free flowing silhouettes, and protective outerwear.
Hermès
Going back to the Maison’s roots, Hermès’s Fall/Winter ’24 collection took on an equestrian theme meets motocross theme. With female “riders” in itself already a once-controversial nod to the patriarchy, the collection in itself brimmed with pieces that women would wear and could use to elevate their wardrobe. Each piece, made from leathers, twills, and cashmere, explored archetypes of masculinity and femininity with attention to detail and versatility. The collection reflects the evolution of riders from horseback and machine, with jodhpurs reimagined as leather johns and a saddlepad transformed into a quilted motorcycle jacket.
Valentino
Two years ago, Maison Valentino’s creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli released the now famed monochrome “pink-out” collection as a radical gesture to maximise the impact of design by limiting himself to one colour. This season the House was again reduced to a single colour and this time, it was the dark hue of mourning. “Black has always held within itself a multitude of definitions and meanings,” reads the show’s notes. The key looks of the collection are all black for a reason. It could be to reflect what’s happening in the world. Once again, the sense of restraint within the colour palette let the design elements shine including patterns, embroideries, fabrics alongside Valentino’s signature’s like rosettes, ruffles, and lace. Shapes and silhouettes shined in sculptural velvets and crêpe while sheer chiffon veiled the skin. Piccioli didn’t shy away from highlighting the female body, opting to use the colour black not only as a sign of defiance and challenging of sterotypes but as a representation of a woman’s individuality in a world that can seem increasingly uniform.
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