Haley Sengsavanh reports on the spring couture 2024 collections by major fashion maisons

Robert Wun

This collection from Hong Kong-born and London-based designer Robert Wun marked the 10th anniversary of his brand. He featured many updated versions of his famous garments: the two opening looks referenced the rain-drenched poncho from his first Paris couture show, and the It-inspired raincoat look got three new versions in trench coat, ink- splattered and denim varieties. The new styles were just as creative, like a red gown with an attached apparition behind the model seemingly undoing the straps.

Ronald van der Kemp

This season, Dutch designer Ronald van der Kemp worked without a theme and pushed his own creativity by limiting his resources. He said, “It’s when you start to think, ‘What am I going to do with this?’ that you get inspired.” Reproductions of Old Master paintings were cut up and spliced together
into a mod-podge gown held together by eyelet rivets, while his “Where’s the Money?” jacket was made from deadstock gold leather and embellished with shredded euros.

Schiaparelli

This collection was a meeting of the minds: combining science-fiction (à la Alien) with the Western aesthetic (inspired by Daniel Roseberry’s Texan upbringing), and then adding a distinctly Schiaparellian haute couture feel. There was a minidress, a clutch and even a robot baby, all encrusted in jewels, dangling with wires and covered in now-defunct technology. Other looks included a cream suit covered in dressage braid-inspired twists and a corset made from silver-tipped belt buckles.

Valentino

Pierpaolo Piccioli’s latest for Valentino was a triumph: an effortlessly joyful flurry of colour that still oozed sophistication. This collection was “an instinctive expression of the urge for creation”, couture- ifying everyday garments like parkas and hoodies, and pairing them with exceptional evening wear. For example, a sleek pair of powder pink suspender pants were worn with a long bronze textured cape, a red leather coat was covered in round golden studs, and a mustard gabardine blazer was worn atop a sharp green silk faille bouillonée minidress.

Versace Jeans Couture

This collection combined neon colours with graphic prints for a fun Y2K aesthetic. The looks were edgy, trendy and wearable, including pieces like a patchwork denim bustier with a dress shirt collar, a blue newspaper-print tank top dress with matching fingerless opera gloves, and a hot pink ruffled long-sleeve halter gown.

Viktor & Rolf

Entitled Viktor&Rolf Scissorhands, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren’s latest collection took basic black garments and hacked, spliced and gouged them to reveal the boning and cream-coloured lining underneath. The show was directed in seven capsules; first showing a complete garment followed by its dismembered versions. A collared jumpsuit got cut open across the chest, and a sparkly tulle ball gown
was chopped vertically in a zigzag pattern.

Also see: #spring couture 2024 (part 2 of 3)