At some point during Courrèges' Wednesday morning show, the stage began to shake. Along with the heavy breathing of the soundtrack, the center of the white floor rose and fell dramatically. It seems that Paris is experiencing an “année érotique”.
“In search of emotions,” is how creative director Nicolas Di Felice summed up the theme of his collection backstage.
While Saint Laurent took nude dressing to the extreme for fall 2024 with its ensembles made from hosiery fabrics, Di Felice suggested a more self-contained approach. Models strutted around with one hand stuffed into the single front crotch pocket of tight flared pants and below-the-knee skirts.
Trench coats with funnel collars evoked secret trysts, while spare straps that slipped off the shoulders and dangled from the hems suggested the act of undressing. Bra tops as brief as censorship strips were paired with everything from a sarong-style black leather skirt to a plump faux fur coat, while a pair of sunglasses tied at the back, blindfold-style .
Di Felice said it was a search for connection and contact in a world full of conflict; Call it sexual healing.
He had teased the issue with his pre-collection, which drew parallels between André Courrèges' 1960s “cosmonauts” and fetish culture, but the vibe here felt more sensual. She began with the gesture of draping a silk scarf, reflected in the twisted dresses with sleeves rolled around the neck.
“It's the first time I've done bias draping,” said the designer, who after three years in the position feels more comfortable taking risks.
Their goal was to achieve a sense of weightlessness, enhanced by rectangles of fabric suspended over sheer stockings and naked feathers rising like goosebumps on garments such as a twisted naked blouse with a single glove attached.
Much of its success in reviving Courrèges has depended on courting new customers while also attracting the brand's historic space-age fans. That intergenerational appeal was reflected in its eclectic front row, which included rapper Saweetie, actress Juliette Binoche and K-pop band Itzy. It's best, then, that his brand of seduction doesn't leave you waiting to exhale.
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