After the storm comes the calm. This old saying, known to most, could perfectly fit the situation that the Belgian fashion house Ann Demeulemeester has been experiencing in the last few months, given that it recently announced the departure of its former creative director Ludovic de Saint Sernin. Shortly after this happened, the company appointed Italian designer Stefano Gallici as its successor, who seems to have brought serenity to the brand.
From the moment the news hit the public domain, questions about what was going to happen and how Gallici would do it began to surface. The industry was eager to see what was new from Demeulemeester, but most of all, it was ready to forget the old and give a second chance to the firm founded by Ann herself, a designer belonging to the prestigious group of “the Antwerp Six”.
The hype of this show was very high and the team that made the call managed the impossible, which is that the Saint-Denis district of Paris became for a few hours in the “place to be” of the French capital since all those summoned did the impossible to arrive on time and access with the torches of their mobile phones to the huge entrance of the show because of the darkness that combined with the black colour in which it was decorated, a hallmark of the house and with which many of the guests were dressed. Few colours were seen in the room, and in the collection that was shown, except for white, beige, electric blue, and khaki green. These were the tones that made up the palette chosen to dye the garments, which at first glance may seem scarce, but if you combine it with the avant-garde silhouettes and the perfect construction of the pieces, the result becomes a delight for the senses, especially for the eyes.
Through the eyes, you could see how Stefano studied Ann Demeulemeester’s heritage in depth and understood her codes, reimagining and treating them as he pleased, but without ever losing the meaning. Everything went smoothly, the identities of both were perfectly appreciated, and that is a very positive thing.
Spring/Summer 2024 by A.D. offers the freedom to be as you want to be, without limits; to construct personal mindscapes and dress them accordingly, using clothes that are carefully defined to appear indefinite, as well as ways of playing with clothes to make them your own. And not in one particular way, but in many, such as creating a new uniform, available in various formats, depending on behaviour and personality, or utility efficiency.
In this line, the black leather sashes placed over the suits, which accentuated the models’ silhouettes; the transparent clothes, curious because they seemed to show but then turned out to be opaque; the silk ones with irregular shapes that sometimes simulated long tails; or the knitted armed garments, which gave a circular aspect to the abdomen, caught our attention.
Now it looks like there will be a continuation of the Ann Demeulemeester legacy, and it’s all thanks to Stefano Gallici. Hopefully, it’s not wrong. Check out the collection below:
