Change is in the air. Sabato de Sarno in Gucci, Louise Trotter for Carven, Peter Do in Helmut Lang. This season is one of fresh starts. The last new beginning of the fashion month came through the courtesy of Ann Demeulemeester. After last season’s controversy (Ludovic de Saint Sernin produced one collection before parting ways with the brand), it’s Stefano Gallici’s turn. The creative director has been with the house since 2020, working as a menswear designer.
It’s clear that Gallici has different strategy than his predecessor, relying heavily on the brand’s DNA. For its Spring Summer 2024 collection, the designer made sure to reference Ann Demeulemeester’s tropes while adding a utilitarian flair. The presentation’s point of view was rooted in the brand’s 90s aesthetics.
The bare skin of last season was replaced with the transparency of fabrics that mysteriously revealed the models' bodies as they moved. Sheer gowns, gender-neutral tailoring, satin dresses: all under a black and white palette only interrupted by bold blues.
Gallici seemed to reply directly to Saint Sernin’s critics. The creative director’s debut collection is undoubtedly Ann Demeulemeester
Words by Pedro Vasconcelos
