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Dior SS24

Renown for their feminine silhouettes cult label Dior threw away their playbook this season instead, Creative Director, Maria Grazia Chiuri has injected feminism the collection, willing for women to dress for themselves.

Chiuri invites us to reimagine the female archetypes, from the ‘dangerous’ medieval witches to the ‘devilish’ femme fatales of 19th Century France. In a nearly all-black color palette, the show was a funeral for the clichés we have been fed our whole lives, unchaining the women of the present through garments that reclaim the power of the past.

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Bewitching displays were present in fishnet and cobweb patterns, charred gray denim, delicate lace dresses, and frayed tailoring. The Parisienne Independent Thinkers were in the maps and Eiffel Tower graphics on structured blazers and long woolen coats. She reframed female stereotypes by adding gladiator straps to ballet pumps, utilitarian silhouettes to aprons and capes, and fitting power suits under dainty, cinched belts.

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Contrasting her earnest message was a colorful backdrop filled with satirical feminist slogans: the ‘Not Her’ art installation by Italian artist Elena Bellantoni. “It’s the dark side of Dior!” Chiuri claimed with a enchanting glint in her eyes.

Karoline Vito SS24

On the closing day of MFW, just as the sun finally shone after a week of rain, Karoline Vitto made history. Known for her body-positive clothes, the London-based Brazilian designer had a tear-filled, monumental show supported by Dolce & Gabbana. Although she has been making waves for the last two years with her inclusivity message at LFW, it’s nothing compared to the significance of having only plus-sized models strut down the Milan runways.

Vitto brought true, authentic inclusivity to the fashion capital. Models from size 10 to 24, were flown in from her London studio. The collection further proved this, as she used her signature jersey and metal materials to hug the folds and curves society condemns women for.

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Structural metal rings laddered down hips and thighs, while skimpy swimwear, barely-there slip dresses, and low-rise trousers celebrated models’ bodies. Structured bustiers, skin-bearing vests, and jersey cutout dresses followed. Vitto wants the runway to represent real women because, in her own words, ‘the majority of us are not sample size, we should be seen.”

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After showing with incubator Fashion East at LFW for the past two years, Vitto gained the support of Dolce & Gabanna after world-renowned stylist Katie Grand vouched for her. It comes as no surprise then that we saw classic Dolce lingerie shapes and references to their 1992 collection, coupled with the archive fabric and size-inclusive heels gifted to Vitto by the Maison.

Post-show, editors, models, guests, and the designer herself hugged in joyful tears. Ashley Graham, who opened the show, exclaimed: “You should be crying, it was incredible! We just made history!” She then turned to the reporters. “It feels normal. You want diversity? This is diversity. More designers should be doing this. We need more curves on the runway, we need to have this be the normal. If I’m feeling normal on a runway with this many girls, it means that there’s something that doesn’t feel normal on runways everywhere else.” If this is where fashion is going, count all of us in.

Vaquera SS24

For the SS24 season, Patric DiCaprio and Bryn Taubensee brought their signature NY subversive eroticism to Paris. The show was a look at how celebrities navigate a life filled with cameras– and how we do too, now that we’ve all become our own paparazzi.

Models used ball caps, black-tinted sunglasses, and bags to hide from the flashing cameras and high-pitched tones that made the runway. They dodged and pushed their way through standing guests who, ironically (or appropriately) filmed everything like fans pushing against a security barricade.

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Inspired by the 00s and 10s, we saw fishnet bodysuits, puffball gowns, bottomless chaps, and a ‘I Heart NY’ shoulder bag. Titled ‘Does It Really Matter’, the show even brought back Tumblr’s most wanted 2000s piece: the ‘Commes des Fuckdown’ slogan cap.

Vaquera questions whether celebrities’ need to be either constantly filmed or remain anonymous really matters when everyone has an iPhone anyway. Whether our own desire to hide or film ourselves truly deserves any attention. Reflecting this camera-shy vs. camera-loving duality, conventional looks were split down the back to reveal buttcheaks and bra straps.

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A traditional black tube skirt was overlayed with pink underwear, simple black pantsuits had bondage straps, and golden tank tops had breast cut-out circles. Even if the show stood out for bringing out its classic devilish fun, the message behind it gave us food for thought–or, in this case, fashion for thought.

AVAVAV SS24

Every season, Stockholm-born designer Beate Karlsson breaks the internet with her humor-riddled show (last time the clothes literally fell apart down the runway). And, although the SS24 crowd also ended in laughter and delightful. And, although the SS24 crowd also ended in laughter and delightful gasps, the now-viral collection called out the toxic hustle culture we live in.

Stressed-looking models sped down the runway as they finished dressing, some even sporting half-finished designs or mascara running down their faces. The show opened with the backstage staff quickly stamping ‘AVAVAV’ post-its on the wall and pushing a model onto the runway. After anxiously trying to return BTS, she took off in quick strides as the second model appeared wearing an unfinished graphic T-shirt with “ADD BACK?! lettering.

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The show was about emoting the pressure, chaos, and overwhelm we deal with regularly. It called out the time crunches and unrealistic deadlines designers have to meet while juggling a million things season after season after– you get the point. Models fought back tears as they sported sheer leggings, gloves, and furry boots with “Filthy Rich” tattooed on their chest instead of a top.

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Some hid their faces altogether with front-facing hoodies, others had question-marked Sharpie annotations on T-shirts and one walked out wrapped in duct tape. Near the end, a model even ran down the runway with two foam blocks that read “ADD SHAPE”. What really took the lid off was the last look: a power suit made entirely of empty post-its. Titled, “NO TIME TO DESIGN”, AVAVAV somehow managed to be the most out-of-the-box and relatable show of Paris Fashion Week, simultaneously.

^{Words by Alexia De Las Heras}

^{Header Images by @avavav @globalfashionstylist & @vaquera}

The post This Fashion Season/Fashion Week Wasn’t About The Clothes- It Was About A Revolution! appeared first on Voir Fashion.

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Di Petsa

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First up, London’s opening act: Di Petsa. Her SS24 collection ‘Reflections of Venus’ was inspired by the Greek Goddess of love. The show took us on a journey of womanhood filled with symbolism toward the deity, creating an ethereal dream of eroticism. Nude and ivory loose dresses depicted feminine purity, followed by references to sensual awakenings through revealing and tight-fitting silhouettes.

What followed was an embrace of dark femininity with long sheer, black gowns, and a woman holding an ancient jug to her belly, as if pregnant, to represent motherhood. But perhaps the most jaw-drawing moment was the show’s start: a naked model was surrounded by women who, led by Petsa herself, caressed and danced around her before she emerged in a metallic gold gown. Birth of Venus, indeed.

Some garments had Swarovski healing crystals as a nod to self-love, and the closing look was reminiscent of a wedding dress which, to some, is the culmination of love. The Greek designer masterfully weaved references to the birth of Venus myth, with colours tones of sea foam sculpted bikinis, and her now infamous wet-look conveying (quite literally) the goddess’ emergence from the sea. Despite her show last year making a splash, it’s her storytelling and embrace of the divine feminine this year that makes Di Petsa a must-watch name in our list.

Mowalola

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NSFW graphic tees, hentai emblazoned polos, micro belt skirts, and barely-there undies, alongside makeup fetishising a car crash. Who else could create such a scandalous and carnal collection other than the dark-humoured Mowalola Ogunlesi?

But the Nigerian-born designer has a reason for it: she stumbled upon the 1995 erotic thriller ‘Crash’ and was instantly inspired.Thus the collection was filled with skin-bearing designs and clothes that spiked an uproar. Of course, she filled the runway with an array of political criticisms and jabs to the elite too; hats, cycling dresses, and leather skirts were filled with distressed Union Jacks and Japanese or Chinese flags, all while Donald Trump screamed ‘China, Chins, China’ in the background.

There was even a direct stab at the late Karl Lagerfeld, as two models conjoined at the arms walked in an oversized version of his ‘only4slim people’ micro tee. Other models walked in twos as well, in a way that Mowalola says “is giving twin-personality”.

With Irina Shayk opening the show in a metallic silver dress and Kanye West (a.k.a. Ye) and his new wife Bianca Censori watching from the front row Mowalola has certified itself as the IT-brand in popular culture.

Natasha Zinko

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London-based designer Natasha Zinko is another designer that stole the show on day one, debuting her SS24 collection ‘THE CAMP’. She took the camping theme for a streetwear-esque spin, with meldingutilitarian and gorpcore aesthetics decorating models fiercely stomped down the runway.

As well as referencing camping on holiday, Zinko also referenced the lifestyle through the journey of humans nomad origins to present day. All about cropped hoodies, wide sweatpants, caps, and cargo pants, the concept is also a nod to the war in her home country of Ukraine, present in the backpacks that doubled as vests, distressed textiles, and nylon reminiscent of tents’ material. Zinko transformed Soho Square into an emo campsite, even gathering a crowd of curious onlookers outside.

But what we loved the most about the show was her desire to normalize underwear. She said: “In a polarised world, one thing that unites us is underwear. We all wear it; we all travel with it, stuff it in suitcases; so why do we hide it?.”

Sinead Gorey

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It doesn’t get more British than Sinead Gorey’s ‘Summer of Love’ collection. For her debut show, she paid ode to her London roots and teenage rave years by creating the ultimate clubwear collection, charged with references to her Britishness. Described in her own words as, “That’s Sarcasm, pubs, unpredictable weather, and a love of partying.”

Punk, rave, and Britpop themes were present in the acid bright colours, weed graphics, wool two pieces, and lacy biker shorts.There were even explicit references to UK culture, with patch worked stripes nodding at Kate Moss’ legendary 2005 picture at Glastonbury and Ginger Spice’s iconic Union Jacks boots.

The show also debuted her collab with Buffallo, showing off the studded leather mules and bondage platforms. With her signature playfulness and bright colors, Gorey is soon to become a staple for British party girls everywhere.

SRVC

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For his debut at LFW, Ricky Wesley Harriott honed in on a feeling we all know and love to hate: FOMO. The appropriately named ‘Wish I Were Here’ collection exposes how the perfection of the holiday getaways we see on social media is false, distorting clothes in a way that calls out that infamous digital face tune.

Think distorted blazers, upside-down knitwear, and cropped hoodies accentuating to-tiny waists. The Tottenham-born designer also stayed true to his signature style, showcasing transformable clothes that can be worn from the office straight to the club. From cargo pants with adjustable waistbands to leather jackets with removable sleeves, SRVC focused on melding a sci-fi utilitarian aesthetic with elevated quality. With the brand finally launching in big retailers like Selfridges this year, Harriot is the newcomer to watch.

KNWLS

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Is there anything more iconic than having Mia Khalifa close your show? We don’t think so, it’s been an exciting two weeks for the South London-based brand Knwls, debuting their collab with Gaultier at NYFW just before having a LFW show that ended in hoots and hollers. For their ‘Petrol’ SS24 collection, designers Charlotte Knowles and Alexandre Arsenault stuck to their staples– but that didn’t mean it wasn’t innovative.

Brand superfans will recognize the signature corsets and broken leather jackets strutting down the runway, only this time they came with a rebellious twist. Feminine silhouettes contrasted with jagged spikes, scratched-out camo, and new denim washes, elevated the classics to match the theme. Inspired by a ‘need for speed’, the pair stirred up looks that seem to be fresh out of the races– and as scandalously muddy and dirty as this would expect. After partnering with a titan like Gaultier, there’s no doubt that the cult label Knwls is soon to be thrown into a stardom.

Ahluwalia

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For her SS24 show titled ‘Acknowledgements’, designer Priya Ahluwalia focused on just that: acknowledging history’s unspoken heroes. Appropriately hosted at the cultural hub that is the British Library, the collection was filled with references to iconic figures such as Marsha P.Johnson, the 60s LGBTQ activist and drag queen.

‘Illusion knitwear’ predominated, challenging viewers to take a closer look at the clothes (and history). But what’s been causing waves post-show has been her blend of occasion wear, as she styled tracksuits under slinky party tops and beach skirts with buttons up. There’s no doubt that those double-breasted suits with neon blue striping on the sides will be everywhere in 2024.

Label signatures like the saturated orange, green, and brown colors were seen on trendy items like football shirts, flowing gowns, and varsity jackets. Zebra prints, floral motifs, and graphics of indigenous sculptures paid homage to the Ahluwalia’s African heritage, while the ‘A’ emblem seen embroidered throughout the collection directly referenced her initial. With a standing ovation as she came out at the end of the show, Ahluwalia’s success is just getting started.

^{Words by Alexia De Las Heras}

^{Header Image by @mowalola}

The post Everything You Need To Know About LFW 2023! appeared first on Voir Fashion.

The London Fashion Week returns this June from Saturday 11th June till Monday 13th June, with young upcoming labels on the list. The event will be held digitally and in-person again. Since the inception of the June event, the showcase has “evolved to support a future of fashion that eliminates gender constructs”.
Twenty physical and 14 digital activations will showcase their work.

LFW will kick off on Saturday with Carlota Barrera, a Spanish designer based in London. Her elegant menswear, seen from the female gaze, features contemporary designs that create emotions and question gender identity.

They are followed by AGR, founded by London designer Alicia Robinson: a knitwear brand is known for its bold colours inspired by London’s diverse culture, with the main focus on up-cycling and sustainability.

Sunday’s highlight is Ahluwalia, fashion pieces inspired by family trips taken to Nigeria and India, music and art, and London roots.

Other collection launches include Agnė Kuzmickaitė, QASIMI, Tiger of Sweden, HENSHALL, University of Westminster BA, etc.

DiscoveryLAB returns this year to the digital schedule, too, in collaboration with DAZED to give viewers the chance to connect with emerging brands. These collaborations explore the intersection of fashion, music, art, photography, and performance. Participants are ABAGA VELLI, Bad Habits London, Brandon Choi, KINGWEN, Lea Nyland Studio, Mark Chapman, Noirgaze, PERTE D’EGO, SansPeng, seventyfive and TREDDENICK.

Words by: Maxi Pfeifer

_{Header Image: Qasimi}

The post London Fashion Week 2022 is back to eliminate gender constructs appeared first on Voir Fashion.