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

JW Anderson

For SS24, Jonathan Anderson drew inspiration from youth culture and brought a playful spin on everyday dress. Or as he put it, “Finding the strangeness in the mundane.” His take on the popular MA-1 bomber jacket was oversized and exploding with cream-coloured feathers, the leather jackets featured a hood and white hoodie strings, and the knitted dresses looked like they had a hula hoop placed under the skirt.

Lanvin

Lanvin’s latest collection referenced 1920s style. The chain and pearl detailing were a unique and intricate feature that especially stood out when used to border the keyhole- heart necklines. Standout looks included a baby-blue asymmetrical mesh knit dress, and a cross-laced black dress with silver embroidery and styled with black opera gloves.

Loewe

Jonathan Anderson continued to embrace randomness and imbue a sense of play into daywear. He said, “There’s a subversiveness to it. But it’s very civilised.” Knee-length shorts were skewered at the waist with a huge golden pin, one side of a coat was flipped up to become a shoulder tote bag and everyday work trousers became so high-waisted they had a small corset attached inside.

Loro Piana

This collection was inspired by Japanese sensibility, as evidenced by the cherry- blossom-printed silk skirts and satin kimono-style jackets. The precise tailoring, in pieces like the high-waisted pants or trench coat, made them look and feel more luxurious. Other highlights included a collarless jean jacket and pants, made from a new Denim Silk fabric.

Louis Vuitton

Nicolas Ghesquière kept this collection light, breezy, imaginative and original. Long skirts made from layered mousseline and charmeuse were styled with patterned silk blouses and anchored by a hip-slung leather belt. The bomber jackets came in bright colourways and big parachute sleeves, bringing to mind imagery of hot-air balloons.

Max Mara

For this collection, Ian Griffiths was inspired by the Women’s Land Army, a vital part of Britain’s war efforts during World War I, responsible for recruiting women to the workforce. Combined with Max Mara’s signature classy style, the output was luxurious and utilitarian: tan jodhpur pants, long trench coats, apron-front pencil dresses and bridle- leather binocular cases.

Miu Miu

Miuccia Prada showcased a mix of sporty, preppy, sparkly garments that somehow all work together when layered and styled to look messy and real. She said this collection was about the “embracing of unique characters, the joy of life”. A look that exemplified this attitude was the plaid collared shirt layered under a light frilly jacket and tucked into little red underpants, with a long blazer on top.

Prada

Co-creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons honed in on craftsmanship and technique this season. Like the former said, “I got tired talking about ideas – let’s talk about clothes.” They definitely delivered, with highlights including high-waisted short skirts layered under long skeins of delicate metal fringe and sleeveless shift dresses made from fine organza and gazar.

Saint Laurent

This season, Anthony Vaccarello stripped the canvas bare and went back to the basics. Besides three mousseline gowns, each piece was created with cotton fabric and based on the revolutionary Saharienne jacket Yves Saint Laurent designed in 1967. The strapless jumpsuits, backless halter dresses and sheer mesh tanks proved that simple can still make a statement.

Schiaparelli

Daniel Roseberry continued to impress, designing a gorgeously classy collection that was also eccentric and perfectly off-key. The motifs of this season were spilled nail polish (splashed across a gown to spell “Schiaparelli” and dripping from shorts) and tape measures (bunched together into a chunky bracelet). Other highlights include a ruched skirt with a giant cloth lobster at the front and a mini dress made from hundreds of bright-red fake nails.

Shiatzy Chen

For her Mirage collection, Wang Chen Tsai-Hsia drew inspiration from mythical mirage cities that seemingly float above the water, their image distorted in the waves. The show started with casual looks created using a special textured fabric woven with corals, and pieces made from wave-looking mottled denim. She continued to incorporate this theme through dresses and blouses made from layers of sheer fabric. The collection closed with a series of white hemp garments embroidered with blue or
hot pink thread to mimic dragon porcelain.

Tod’s

Walter Chiapponi’s last show as creative director at Tod’s was elusive and captivating. On the surface, it was severe and simple, but the slightly off-kilter tailoring and details will make you do a double take. Pleated knee- length skirts were designed so each pleat was a slightly different width and made from different fabrics at the back and front, while trench coats had storm- flap fastenings at the neck.

Valentino

For SS24, Pierpaolo Piccioli highlighted female bodily autonomy and the freedom to “expose the body in a different, modern way that isn’t about being sexy for someone else”. This collection was versatile and matched many styles and moods: denim co-ords for a casual outing, sparkly mesh for cocktail hour and dresses made with Piccioli’s newest cut-out embroidery technique for a truly special night out.

Versace

This collection was Donatella Versace’s meditation on her brother Gianni’s Fall 1995 collection. She kept the ladylike aesthetic, but updated some silhouettes by cropping pant and skirt hems shorter and making the jackets bulkier. Standout looks included three matching pastel chequerboard-patterned dresses with chunky beaded necklines and beaded twinsets styled with bikini briefs.

Vivienne Westwood

Andreas Kronthaler, a designer and the widower of Vivienne Westwood, pieced together this intimate and touching collection while reflecting on her archives and their memories together. The slouchy lilac micro- corduroy suit was inspired by a brown version that was one of Westwood’s favourites, and the final white corseted dress was based on one she designed in reference to a Velázquez painting. The garments were colourful, kitschy but effortlessly cool; it was the perfect tribute to honour her legacy.

Also see: Spring/summer 2024 (part 1)