Setting the stage on a sultry summer evening in Paris’s Marais district, a haven of diversity, Ludovic de Saint Sernin unveiled his much-anticipated Spring/Summer 2024 collection. This thriving scene was brimming with anticipation, from glistening, perfectly chiseled bodies to the rhythmic pulse of Four Tet’s vibrant house music that echoed against the centuries-old edifices. However, this wasn’t your typical night out in a bar. It was the illustrious stage for de Saint Sernin’s latest fashion extravaganza.
Held in the courtyard of the venerable Musée des Archives Nationales, de Saint Sernin‘s show captured an unmissable sense of voyeuristic delight as models paraded wearing ensembles that dared to challenge the conventional. Shirts exquisitely pared down to only sleeves and a collar and others barely able to conceal the torso, their daring cuts leaving a bare trail from neck to navel, echoed a compelling narrative of daring self-expression.
Nonetheless, compared to de Saint Sernin’s past audacious spectacles, this collection had a demure edge. There was a refreshing mix of loin-cloth-like man skirts and other more mainstream articles of clothing – airy jeans jackets, subtly flared trousers, and finely crafted leather pieces, balanced with completely buttoned shirts.
The designer ingeniously narrated a tale of sensual vacation, eloquently represented through casual espadrilles, freshly wet hair, gleaming deltoids and a palette that embraced the season’s prevalent earthy tones.
Women in the show weren’t left behind either, walking the runway in styles akin to the men’s collection. Lingerie-inspired mermaid dresses and a striking long fishtail skirt – a nod to his brief yet significant stint at Ann Demeulemeester earlier that year – were among the highlights.
de Saint Sernin’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection was a heartfelt celebration of “queer desire, joy and power“, as stated in his press notes. It was a clear departure from the clichéd representations of queer expression, instead offering a wardrobe that marries unabashed sensuality with sophisticated elegance.
The designer’s backstage message echoed his runway vision. “Dare to be yourself“, he urged, calling for an embrace of the unique and the different. “Because your difference and what makes you unique is what’s going to inspire other people to access that freedom“. As we delve into the threads of his collection, Ludovic de Saint Sernin’s bold invitation to individual freedom comes to life, inspiring not just the fashion world, but urging everyone to wear their uniqueness unabashedly.
Read more: Ludovic de Saint Sernin steps down from Ann Demeulemeester
