Exploring Thematic Relevance and Storytelling in the Fall Winter '24 Runway Shows
Now that the Met Gala has come and gone, let's explore the art of thematic storytelling in fashion.
Thematic storytelling is the art of conveying a central theme or message through a narrative. In the context of fashion, thematic storytelling involves using clothing, runway presentations, and other elements to communicate a particular theme or concept to the audience.
Designers may draw inspiration from various sources, such as history, culture, literature, or personal experiences, to create cohesive narratives within their collections.
It adds depth and meaning to fashion beyond mere aesthetics, allowing designers to engage with broader ideas and concepts.
During the Fall/Winter 2024 runway presentations, we found ourselves immersed in a wealth of thematic narratives.
In this article, our guest writer Trapetas will illuminate standout examples from these collections. Join us as we delve into how designers expertly infused their creations with narratives that transcend mere clothing.
Happy reading,
Amarissa
Editor-in-Chief, Fashion Talk
Throughout history, storytelling has remained a cornerstone of the fashion world. Designers bear the weighty responsibility of translating their brand's unique ethos into captivating runway collections each fashion week and beyond.
Much like writers, designers must craft a cohesive narrative about their beloved couture houses, representing a decade's worth of history, culture, and sometimes engaging with contemporary politics and social causes.
Thematic references are intricately woven into the lineage of each couture house. Unlike writers, fashion directors are not confined to a page or canvas, allowing them to express their narratives through a dynamic interplay of fabric, form, and presentation.
Film, acting, makeup, architecture, music, ecology, landscape, and of course, fashion intertwine to weave thematic brilliance during every fashion week.
Here are five fashion houses that delivered standout thematic performances in their Fall/Winter 2024 collections.
5. Dsquared2
Dean and Dan Caten, the Canadian identical twins and co-founders of luxury fashion brand Dsquared2, drew inspiration from their lived experiences to craft a thematic masterpiece for their Fall/Winter 2024 show.
Since its inception, Dsquared2 has embraced a duality in its offerings, seamlessly blending streetwear with high-end couture. Drawing on their Canadian heritage and upbringing as queer individuals in the '70s and '80s, the duo infuses their collections with personal narratives and cultural influences.
The Fall/Winter 2024 show, D2METAMorphe, captivated spectators as twins were cast to juxtapose the brand's grunge-streetwear offerings with its more upscale and opulent looks.
Referencing the adage “two sides of a coin” or the dichotomy between day and night, each model walked through a futuristic “makeover machine” that seamlessly transformed them from grunge to glamor.
The Milan show employed tech-infused music, robots, and machinery, along with a gloss-like interior, to captivate their audience with a 3-D printing-like effect during each twin transformation.
Truly, a stunning thematic cosplay for an equally stunning collection.
4. KidSuper
KidSuper's Fall 2024 Paris Fashion Week show captivated the mind with its innovative exploration of physics.
The novelty brand has experienced breakout moments since its inception, but the genius of Colm Dillane was truly on display this past winter.
Dillane centered his thematic reference around string theory, invoking the science behind quantum mechanics and its relationship to fashion.
Although string theory originated in the 1960s as an advancement in fundamental physics, KidSuper's Fall/Winter 2024 show alluded to the classical renaissance of science and art, spanning from the Middle Ages to modernity.
Guests sat in amazement as models unraveled on the runway beneath props of strings dangling down from the ceiling.
The show employed lighting to play with the ideas of dimension, accompanied by a soundtrack blending classical and hip-hop music. With a focus on streetwear and male suiting, KidSuper evoked a juxtaposition of the modern against the antiquated.
In all, the thematic brilliance of KidSuper cannot be overlooked.
3. Balmain
Hosted at Paris’ Pavillon Cambon of the Paris Opera, the Balmain Fall/Winter 2024 Women’s show immersed guests in a thematic homage to Bordeaux, a charming city in France.
As the hometown of creative director Olivier Rousteing, Bordeaux's culture, known for its wine-growing regions, served as the inspiration. Models strode down the Pavillon Cambon adorned in raincoats and thematic garments, accompanied by the serenade of camera shutters and opera instrumental music.
Rousteing draped the Pavillon Cambon in shades of brown, symbolizing the ecological heritage deeply ingrained in the collection.
Dubbed the “Fruits of Bordeaux,” the Balmain show featured models showcasing jewelry, outerwear, and dresses, all thematically referencing grapes and fruit.
In essence, the fashion world received a dazzling portrayal of Bordeaux — not just as a destination, but as a home and a lifestyle.
2. Balenciaga
Balenciaga astounds with a satirical portrayal of Los Angeles, California, through a “cinematic, character-driven lens,” as described by stakeholders at the brand.
Creative director Demna Gvasalia hosted the Balenciaga Fall 2024 Collection outdoors amidst the palm tree-covered blocks of the city.
The ready-to-wear collection transitioned from loungewear and activewear, embodying LA's fitness culture with clothing suited for yoga, hiking, jogging, and gym sessions, to Hollywood-inspired upscale couture wear.
This thematic marvel is brought to life with theater-like voiceovers featuring ads that humorously critique California's fast-paced lifestyle.
Models including Cardi B and others are seen rushing down the runway, multitasking with phone calls, water bottles, coffee cups, grocery bags, and yoga mats, capturing the essence of LA's bustling energy.
Gvasalia delivers a thematic triumph to the fashion industry, unrivaled in recent years.
1. Maison Margiela
Maison Margiela unveiled its 2024 Artisanal Collection this past January with a live musical performance transitioning seamlessly into an eerie fashion show, curated by Creative Director John Galliano.
To label Margiela’s Artisanal Collection as merely a fashion show would be a gross understatement. It stands as an artistic masterpiece, destined to be remembered as one of the greatest spectacles in fashion history.
Thematic references throughout the collection consistently explored the dark underbelly of Paris's underworld, touching upon themes ranging from the erotic to theft and murder.
Guests found themselves seated beneath a dark tunnel illuminated only by streetlights, and some inside a bar-like scene, while models traversed various stage designs adorned with porcelain doll-like glass makeup, engaging directly with guests and immersing them in what felt like a haunted poker bar.
Maison Margiela's show spoke directly to the soul of anyone grappling with the definition of art.
In terms of thematic depth and innovation, Maison Margiela remains the epitome of avant-garde in the fashion world.
Edited by Amarissa, Founder & Editor in Chief of Fashion Talk.
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