Rave Review Fall 2024 Ready-to-Wear
Returning to show in Milan for fall, Josephine Bergqvist and Livia SchĂŒck expanded on what they term their âhigh-end remakeâ approach to fashion. As they work with materials in limited supply, vintage and deadstock, these Swedish designers have evolved methods of taking things apart and reconfiguring them in a sort of jigsaw manner. This season they had been reflecting on writer/philosopher Mark Fisherâs take on the concept of âhauntologyââabout âhow itâs getting harder and harder to picture a future free from the pastâ said SchĂŒck on a callâand thinking about how it relates to their practice of âbringing old things together⊠but making them into something new, but which will always be haunted [by the past/nostalgia]â and finding ways to expand on their techniques in a way that let some air in.
They did so by separating fragments of fabric with strips of sheer organza (look 21) or suspending them on it (look 37). Mesh was used in a similar manner. The skirt in the second look is essentially a see-through panel framed at the bottom with a band of kilt pleating and at the waist with three scissor-handed layers of plaid. âItâs almost like we want it to feel that itâs torn down into nothing basically,â SchĂŒck said. âAnd we want to embrace the contrast between this quite raw and quite heavy or dry material and something else; and also just maybe showing a bit more skin,â Bergqvist added. The effect was dulled here by the choice to layer the mostly-sheer skirt over scrappy, raw-edged leggings made using donated materials from the designersâ compatriots at Happy Socks. Look 28, a satin and lace asymmetrical slip dress worn with patched plaid leggings hit the right balance.
The choice to show the collection on street-cast models of different ages and shapes was a smart one that demonstrated how wearable Rave Review clothes can be. The designersâ take on the seasonâs asymmetric seamed mini, in denim and paired with a faux fur animalier print top, was spot on, and there were several reversible outerwear options including a duvet coat with a weatherproof lining. On the surface, this collection looked familiar, but the winds of change were blowing through those sheer panels. There is much potential for further exploration of this idea. A lightening- and tightening-up of the collection could take it in a more âadultâ direction without sacrificing sexiness or fun, as was evidenced by looks 23 and 24, which incorporated drawstrings to created a slight (airy) bubble effect and maintain the brandâs signatures with a cleaner, fresher silhouette.
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