Flooded with natural light from above, the Courrèges SS25 presentation took place on a white circular runway enclosing a mysterious black portal at the center-stage. A knee-length black leather cloak with a robust Azorean hood and a sculpted back set the tone for the collection, which came across as both alien and ancient in its structural simplicity. The dramatic opening look marks the opening chapter of a range that progressively sheds it layers to reveal a timeless minimalism.
Directly after the first number, a similar cloak-style coat reduced its sleeves to two wide slits near the waist, leaving just enough room for the model to tuck her hands into the front pockets. The look was dark and austere, recalling priestly garbs with banded collars and modest hemlines. Even in their clerical sensibilities, the looks still recall Courrèges’ Space Age providence through the employment of abstraction and streamlined simplification.
As the show progressed, black and white mock-neck shift dresses made more direct reference to André Courrèges 1960s work in a more stripped-down form. Looks with waist exposing cut-outs and open backs were balanced with extra long leather leggings and bando bras that served as the first-layers. A series of wrap dresses and skirts made efficient use of materials, fastened only by tiny bands of fabric and beautifully shaped with sculptural wiring.
These wrap-style garments, alongside interwoven bandage-style constructions, drive home the monastic.
