A Feeling. Bode SS24

June 30, 2023 | Design & Culture by Ed

Whether Emily Adams Bode Aujla shows her collections on a runway in Paris or as a lookbook, the New York-based designer always manages to capture a true feeling, a notion of a fleeting moment. For spring-summer 2024, Bode seeks inspiration in the Crane Estate, the residence in Massachusetts owned by an eccentric 90-year-old woman where her mother worked back in 1976. This appeared to be a perfect backdrop for Emily’s recently found obsession. Since her wedding last year, the designer is interested in investigating eveningwear. “It’s something that I’ve become quite passionate about because it’s really picked up for us,” she said. It’s evident in menswear pieces like the translucent-and-black all-over-sequin-embellished jacket, the navy blue suit with goldenrod crochet embroidery, and the white suit worn with a gorgeous blue and white striped pajama top with frog closures (you can also get the matching pants). It’s also apparent in pieces from her nascent womenswear line, like the sheer green dropped-waist dress studded with seed beads and the cream brocade midi-length jacket with three oversized satin bows for a closure. She called it a wedding jacket. “I love this idea,” Bode Aujla said. “I didn’t get to wear a vintage jacket like this for my wedding, but I thought that’s what I would wear. In my head, after the ceremony, this is what you put on; or maybe it’s worn at the courthouse wedding.” She continued, “Or you could wear this with black tuxedo trousers and have a really elevated evening look that’s not a dress. I could easily put that in men’s, but I think I wanted this and I think our girl wants this.” Although women have been buying and wearing Bode since the beginning, womenswear officially debuted last season in Paris. Those who expected it to look exactly like the menswear but with a slightly different fit were in for a surprise; the range is decidedly sexy. This came across in the knit panties and matching T-shirts, tanks, and bralettes; in dusty blue crochet dresses, and in the thin-as-air fish-print printed caftans. The designer added, “people commented about this on our runway show too. A lot of people expected it to be one way, and it’s like, the Bode woman compliments the Bode guy, she is not the Bode guy.”

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Le Chouchou. Jacquemus AW23

June 27, 2023 | Design & Culture by Ed

Simon Porte Jacquemus came to Versailles for his very first date with his now husband, Marco, and had always dreamt of showing at the palace. “A year ago I had a vision and sent an email to Bastien [Daguzan, brand’s CEO] with two pictures of Versailles,” said Jacquemus after the show. “I told him that I wanted people arriving by boat and looking at the collection from the boat.” And that’s precisely what happened yesterday at the Le Chouchou collection presentation. Guests were escorted to the runway on quaint little off-white bateaux, and as we docked, models stepped out and walked in front of us with the palace in the background. The French designer certainly knows how to put on a show. Rather than shoehorning his brand into Versailles, he borrowed the elements of the place that coexist with his point of view, including references to one of its well-known residents, Marie Antoinette. In his most design-driven collection of late, there were elements of the famous queen’s love for theatrics and ballet, the utilitarian language Jacquemus often references, and, surpringly, nods to Princess Diana. Lady Di inspired the ’80s shapes of puffy and ruched silhouettes, a polka-dot dress, and the “big rounded sleeves that,” he promised, “will become a signature of Jacquemus.” There were also tutus worn as is or as petticoats or mini crinolines. From the ballet came the collection’s flat mules and rose-print tights. Cute.

Scrunched-up silhouettes were the show’s common denominator and gave the collection its name: Le Chouchou. “Everything was looking like a big chouchou,” or hair scrunchie, Jacquemus said, “and I think it’s nice to have something super precise that people remember. They can know that it is the Chouchou collection and remember the castle and the puffiness.” He Most compelling, however, was the designer’s inventive tailoring, which at times felt like a callback to his earlier collections. There were the backless blazers like the one he debuted at The Met earlier this year on Bad Bunny, here with cutouts that exposed tutus; a variety of jackets cut and cinched at the waist to friskily accommodate the mini crinolines; and others with one sleeve detached and gathered at the top. Also fun were tutus converted into micro shorts and presented as puffy boxers peeking out of men’s trousers – this was Jacquemus at his most sincere, offering a playful interpretation of royal dressing. It won’t be surprising to see Versailles-core trending on TikTok after this show, together with the existing balletcore.

Heart Beat. Marine Serre SS24

June 25, 2023 | Design & Culture by Ed

Marine Serre‘s co-ed spring-summer 2024 line-up was pretty loaded with musicians: Teyana Taylor, Noah Cyrus, Miguel, Brooke Candy, and Sevdaliza all walked the show, turning the presentation into quite a star-studded affair. The latest offering was classic Serre, including patchwork graphic pieces, cutout dresses, full patterned outfits, and that signature crescent moon motif. As usual, all garments were made from upcycled, deadstock materials, making the French designer still one of the most uncompromisingly sustainability-forward name in fashion. The collection spoke to the label’s essence of marrying couture elements with sportswear feels, underscored by that familiar wild, haphazard energy that garnered its cult following. Titled “Heart Beat” (with the actual rhythm joining the show’s soundtrack), this fashion show bumped with charisma.

Downdressed. Officine Générale SS24

June 24, 2023 | Design & Culture by Ed

When it comes to French style, nobody does it like Officine Générale‘s founder and designer, Pierre Mahéo. For spring-summer 2024, the designer “wanted it to be simple, but when it gets too simple, it’s boring, so you sort of need to trick it with styling.” He added: “I didn’t want undressed, I wanted downdressed.” Those sentiments underscored what the collection upheld: a languid fundamentality that wasn’t plain, but truly desirable. Mahéo made a strong case that purity in form can still come with a little flair and dazzle. The beautifully cast show opened with a black-and-white toned palette, and paired tailoring, foulards, and loose, almost pajama-esque shirting. Waistbands were elasticized; socks and garters were knee high – it clashed undone and done up nicely, but fell, impression-wise, on the simpler side of things, which was exactly Mahéo’s intention. The super chic designer also mentioned, in his show notes, that a “cold and rainy” winter in Paris led him to inject a bit of warmth into the mix. Enter ultraviolet and teal tones, tank tops and breezy shorts. Officine Générale is known for elevated essentials, yet this all felt truly summery – like Mahéo was exhaling, and finding a new stride of easygoing magic in the moment. Oui, oui, oui!

Men’s – Higher Than The Sun. Dior SS24

June 24, 2023 | Design & Culture by Ed

Kim Jones‘ first collection for Dior seems like yesterday, but believe it or not, 5 years have passed since his big debut. I wasn’t always a fan of his work at the Parisian brand, but his recent collection – and especially spring-summer 2024 – make me change my mind. For this anniversary collection, Jones turned towards a canonical trio of Dior designers who preceded him. He referenced Yves Saint Laurent, Gianfranco Ferré, and Marc Bohan, enmeshing motifs from their times here with propositions of his own. The membrane the connected them all was Christian Dior’s cannage, the pattern the house founder based on the woven rattan chairs in which guests sat at his first salon show in 1947. The show opened with a coup de théâtre: the wide runway was composed of polished metal gray tiles. As the first Andrew Weatherall–conjured wheezing whalesong of Primal Scream’s “Higher Than the Sun” began to roll, the entire cast of models was raised from beneath the runway in a three-wide, 17-long grid of looks.

Jones’s design credentials are undisputed. He is also an extremely accomplished visual editor. He studded polished jewels on cardigans draped over the collection’s straight-legged, high-hemmed, high skirted tailoring, and then that over piqué polo shirts set with yet more jewels. Can we talk about the knitted beanies with velvet flower brooches?! Obsessed. Tweed loafers had buckles derived from a Lady Dior fragrance motif. Marled jacquard cannage knits in punchy colors were worn shoulder robed over more of the tailoring. Some jackets, semi-safarienne, were set with a bow at the breast pocket. Long tweed coats, high notch-collared and double breasted, featured the faded rattan shape within their muesli flecks and appeared to be bonded dresses worn from the shoulder. Dior’s Mitzah Bricard–inspired leopard print was reproduced on Saddle bags and vests. These were worn with sporty tweed shorts, which were later placed against tweed and piqué twinsets. The punches of fluoro green and orange added a psychedelic touch. As the designer put it himself: “It’s a collage of different designers in the archive expressed in shape, color, form and mood.”