Top Five Moments Fashion Imitated Art During Men's Paris Fashion Week SS24
From Louis Vuitton’s embroideries of Henry Taylor’s signature portraits to Lynda Benglis’ monumental fountains at Loewe.
It’s no secret that fashion and art share a deep and fluid relationship, constantly nurturing and inspiring one another. From Yves Saint Laurent’s “Mondrian” dress to the most recent Yayoi Kusama’s Louis Vuitton collaboration, the bond between the two continues to thrive and flourish. Most recently, Men’s Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2024 saw this harmony take center stage, offering a flawless cohesion between disciplines.
Pharrell Williams’ debut collection at Louis Vuitton saw delicate embroideries featuring artist Henry Taylor’s signature portraiture adorning various pieces, and London-based designer S.S. Daley drew inspiration from Lucien Freud and David Hockney, presenting a collection that explored the shifting sexual identity of the early 1900s.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Anderson’s Loewe transformed a paddock into a perception playground, featuring monumental fountains by artist Lynda Benglis, and Acne Studios’ Jonny Johansson merged the “Grand Tour” concept with Swedish ceramic artist Per B. Sundberg’s prints. Finally, Kiko Kostadinov’s collection at Lycée Henri-IV referenced Pier Paolo Pasolini and Tom Burr.
Keep scrolling to discover the top five moments fashion imitated art during Men’s Paris Fashion Week SS24.
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton/Henry Taylor. Courtesy Of The Artist And Hauser & Wirth. Photo: Jeff Mclane.
Louis Vuitton/Henry Taylor. Courtesy Of The Artist And Hauser & Wirth. Photo: Jeff Mclane.
There was quite a lot to take in from Pharrell Williams’ debut collection at Louis Vuitton for SS24: the golden-wrapped Paris’ Pont Neuf bridge, the star-studded view, the so-called “Damoflage.” The joyful and vibrant showcase exuded love, passion, community and paid tribute to the art of craft and legacy. Yet, amidst the 74 looks, one small but significant detail stood out, impossible to overlook even with a fleeting glance. Delicate embroideries, showcasing artist Henry Taylor’s signature portraiture style, adorned various pieces, ranging from denim suits, a skirt and a cardigan to leather bags.
Notably, the American artist himself, renowned for his acrylic paintings, mixed media sculptures and installations, graced the show, engaging in conversation with comedian Jerrod Carmichael along the scenic banks of the Seine. This collaboration with Louis Vuitton marked not the first, as Taylor had previously joined forces with the brand in 2020 when he was invited to contribute to their innovative line of “ArtyCapucines.”
S.S. Daley
S.s Daley/Lucien Freud. Courtesy Of The Artist And Hazlitt Holland-Hibbert. Photo: David Dawson.
S.s Daley/Lucien Freud. Courtesy Of The Artist And Hazlitt Holland-Hibbert. Photo: David Dawson.
London-based designer S.S. Daley unveiled his SS24 collection titled “Merry Ment,” drawing inspiration from artists Lucien Freud and David Hockney. The line-up featured playful wool renditions of sausage dogs, paying homage to Hockney’s beloved dachshunds. It showcased impeccably tailored jackets in brown ticking striped linen and ecru cotton twill, adorned with burgundy zig-zag stitching inspired by vintage swimwear.
The overall theme paid tribute to British artists and workmen, exploring their uniforms and the shifting sexual identity of the early 1900s. Clean-cut suiting was paired with pleated shorts, floral badges and contrasting red stitching while blooming hydrangeas adorned striped workwear sets. One of the sets incorporated a fruit bowl motif, referencing European still-life paintings. The campaign for the season drew inspiration from images of the artists in their studios, adding another layer of depth to the overall theme.
Loewe
Loewe/Lynda Benglis.
Loewe/Lynda Benglis.
Jonathan Anderson’s Loewe stands as the epitome of luxury fashion brands set at the intersection of fashion and art. For the men’s SS24 collection, an indoor training paddock meant for police horses was transformed into a playground of perceptions. Within this space, three monumental fountains, masterfully crafted by American sculptor and visual artist Lynda Benglis, effortlessly dwarfed the surrounding environment.
The collection served as a profound exploration of perspective—a deep dive into transcending the boundaries of mere visual perception, encompassing dimensions and scales that extend far beyond what meets the eye. Limbs grew elongated, waists ascended to new heights and busts assumed a compacted form. According to Anderson, the fashion show itself became a dialogue with the viewers, seeking to challenge their perceptions and unravel the confines of traditional aesthetics. Naturally, Loewe could not resist the allure of surrealism, adding their signature touch to the proceedings. An exaggerated blue tabard, adorned with a giant needle piercing its apex, evoked the imagery of a pin cushion, a clever nod to Benglis’s bulbous sculptures.
Acne Studios
Acne Studios/Per B. Sundberg.
Acne Studios/Per B. Sundberg.
Jonny Johansson’s SS24 collection for Acne Studios explored the transformative nature of the 17th-century “Grand Tour” undertaken by young men across Europe. Johansson himself embarked on a trip to Venice last October to shape this season’s menswear line. Inspired by the city’s art, architecture and Thomas Mann ambiance, Johansson delved into the psychology of personal style transformation during travel.
Yet the standout feature of the collection was the collaboration with Swedish ceramic artist Per B. Sundberg, whose signature ceramics are modeled after skulls, mushrooms and other organic matter. The line-up included Mars Attacks!-inspired death’s head curios and garments featuring unsettling prints of whimsical animals and distorted wraith-like figures. The pieces were treated with a glassy finish, giving the impression of being encased in glass—an idea ignited during Johansson’s visit to Murano’s renowned glass blowers.
Kiko Kostadinov
Kiko Kostadinov/Tom Burr. Courtesy Of The Artist And Bortolami, New York.
Kiko Kostadinov/Tom Burr. Courtesy Of The Artist And Bortolami, New York.
Kiko Kostadinov is a master of drawing inspiration from art, which greatly influences his distinctive and intricate garment construction style. The show itself took place within the magnificent dome of the heritage library, located inside Paris’ Lycée Henri-IV public secondary school. For this particular collection, Kostadinov found esoteric inspiration in Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1962 short film, ‘La Ricotta.’ The film provided a rich tapestry of references that influenced the collection’s structure, color palette and the designer’s portrayal of early manhood.
Another noteworthy influence was the spatial artwork of American artist Tom Burr. Kostadinov explained how Burr’s work informed the intricate surface details of his collection, such as tacking, draping and darting. Additionally, the concept of the lycée as a “Liminal space,” bridging the gap between the show, backstage and the influences behind it, was recontextualized in the collection. Kostadinov said that after 15 seasons he wants to start self-referencing. In fact, items from Kostadinov’s previous works were left hanging in front of bookshelves in the hallway outside the show venue.
