Roksanda Ilincic, the visionary behind the Roksanda label, showcased her Spring/Summer 2024 collection under the late summer sunshine at the Barbican courtyard. Inspired by the tranquility of monastic life in her native Serbia, she masterfully interpreted the aesthetic essence of priests’ robes, frescoes, and the soothing silence of sacred spaces into a captivating collection that exuded a sense of calm and communion.
Roksanda has always been celebrated for her bold approach to color and volume. This time, she wielded her artistic prowess to splash boxy jackets and long dresses with shades of highlighter green and orange, and immerse a silk backless gown and a tailored suit in rose-tinged champagne. Her palette, enriched with cobalt, deep purple, and lavender, was reminiscent of frescoes that adorn the walls of monasteries.
The beauty of the collection lay not only in its color story but also in its intricate details. Roksanda took the gold threads from Orthodox priests’ robes and transformed them into delicate bits of gold wire, which meandered around the back of long, flowing silk dresses in champagne or raspberry pink. This element of the collection, a nod to the sacred, was perfectly balanced by the earthly charm of short silvery skirts made from sparkly fringe, evoking the metallic threads of monastic attire.
While the inspiration for the collection was rooted in the sacred, Roksanda also infused her own imagination into the designs. The patterns, textures, and prints, including bright brushstrokes on a suit and abstract white dots on a green silk skirt and top, drew from frescoes but were also a product of Roksanda’s creative genius. A dress featuring a gentle, curving female figure on the front, a departure from the monastic inspiration, was a testament to Roksanda’s ability to blend the sacred and the imaginative seamlessly.
Adding another layer of calm to the collection was the soul-stirring performance by British soprano Isabelle Peters. The serene ambiance of the show, heightened by Peters’ voice, resonated with the sense of communion that Roksanda aimed to evoke through her designs.
The collection closed with a pleated papery gown in a flash of lavender, a final note in a symphony of serene and sacred-inspired designs. The Roksanda Spring/Summer 2024 collection, a testament to Roksanda Ilincic’s artistic brilliance, successfully translated the meditative quiet of holy spaces and the vibrant hues of frescoes into wearable art, offering a sense of calm and communion in a world that often feels chaotic.
Read more: Carolina Herrera Spring/Summer 2024 – New York Fashion Week
©Photo: Roksanda
