Among the many looks that Zendaya wore during the month of February to promote the second part of the film Dune, the metal Mugler suit dating from 1995, which made the actress look like an articulated robot, caused an avalanche of articles and flooded social networks for several days. Would there be an appetite among the general public for science fiction outfits? In any case, on the catwalks, which are supposed to be one step ahead, it is a trend of the fall-winter 2024-2025 women’s fashion week which takes place in Paris until March 5.
The strongest in this vein is undoubtedly Rick Owens, who has always had a particular tenderness for extraterrestrial creatures. His models wear rubber leggings inflated with air, jackets with pointed shoulders, voluminous mesh wrapped like anacondas around their busts, hoods that devour their faces. Contact lenses turn their eyes completely black, and those without head coverings have their hair standing on end. This collection meets the“hostility and intolerance which have reached an unusual intensity in the world”, explains the designer, who does not lack genius. Distressing, her silhouettes are also graceful, and, when you split the armor, you find very pretty turtlenecks or a beautiful dress.
In a lighter but also conceptual genre, Issey Miyake returns to the origins of clothing: the act of covering the human body with a single piece of fabric, which led to the discovery of draping, layering, folding and twist. Certain stretched silhouettes evoke a humanoid flower, face hidden by a cloche hat, tubular dress with sleeves so long that they brush the knees. We also believe we are seeing Touaregs of the future, swaddled in brightly colored mesh superimposed and intertwined, alongside elegant characters draped in a simple piece of fabric.
So what is this dog with its grim look sitting nonchalantly in the green grass? It’s the central element of a Loewe dress with side panels flapping in the wind, where the body of the garment is entirely embroidered with tiny pearls glistening like caviar. This season, Jonathan Anderson was inspired by the painter Albert York (1928-2009), a lover of landscapes and domestic animals, to populate his wardrobe with a strange beauty, where he plays, as always, with proportions. We don’t really know if these wigged women come from the 1920s or from a distant future, with their jackets with tails so long that they touch the ground, revealing XXL harem pants with radish patterns. Their soft pants are so generous in fabric that you can no longer distinguish the shape of the legs. They contrast with the sharpness of the jackets with collars embroidered with metallic cylinders. “A landscape painting, a tailcoat jacket: is it modern or outdated? asks Jonathan Anderson. In this collection, class signifiers are no longer relevant. What matters is the cut, the shape, the texture. »
Fierce and venomous
“ We created a powerful woman in leather and denim. When we want to feel strong, we gravitate towards these two materials; it’s like armor », explains Jonny Johansson about his collection for Acne Studios. Models, Amazon style evolving in short dresses or leather bodysuits punctuated with metal zips, faux fur coats, blouses with raised collars or large jacket and pants sets in faded white or patinated gray denim, give the impression of futuristic warriors. The decor, massive chairs made from car tires by Estonian artist Villu Jaanisoo, adds a perfect cinematic touch to the presentation.
At Comme des Garcons, Rei Kawakubo uses the thick, black leather of biker jackets to create very Marie-Antoinette dresses, with crinolines, swollen baskets on the hips, padded with petticoats, dotted with bows and ruffles. The clash of cultures gives rise to a new, impressive silhouette, reflecting the designer’s state of mind: “I have anger at everyone, especially myself. » Outfits of such intensity that they would be able to overshadow the Mugler jumpsuit on the red carpet.
At Mugler, moreover, Casey Cadwallader, who has revamped the house since his arrival in 2017, continues to project his vision of a strong woman. Too unreal for the streets? “It depends on which street!” “, he laughs. This season, the American has shown interest alongside “glamorous and dark women. A slightly sinister sensuality, which almost resembles the imagery of vampires”. These women certainly have something fierce and venomous, with their short black leather dresses as if molded to their bodies, others blood red which play on transparency or even skirts made of strips of torn leather. Women from elsewhere, who impose their power.