Vogue’s best looks from the Hermès and Alexander McQueen spring/summer 2024 shows

Hermès SS24

10-word show review: A sophisticated and contemporary collection that was equal parts sensual and sensible
Designer: Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski
Location: Garde Républicaine

The vision: How does Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski’s Hermès compete in an already crowded sartorial space of quiet luxury pieces? For its spring/summer 2024 collection, her directive was unexpected–to add an additional touch of sensuality and eroticism within the collection. Picniccore dressing was also at the crux of this collection but of course, in classic Hermès fashion, this is one elevated outing in the grasslands.

The vibe: When you enter the Garde Républicaine for the show, you are treated to a marvel of nature that matches the opulence of the fashion house. Just for the show, the entire space was terraformed into an actual grassland. As the last guest made her way through a winding prairie, the show opened to arguably one of the most alluring collections ever to be seen from the creative director’s tenure at the house.

Signature silhouettes: Bralettes and ribbed singlets slashed across the body ruled the show, worn alongside ruched ankle-length skirts and high-waisted flat-front pants. Cogitated colours in burgundy, taupe, ivory and a fiery splash of crimson cast an alluring nuance to the collection; but if we were to go by the idea of a voyage through the world of Hermés, the propositions felt like there was a hint of a tribal influence: with geometric cut out skirts in leather and embroidered body suits appearing like native body art. Of course, no Hermés show is ever complete without their leather carryalls and this season, we saw the debut of a luscious hobo bag that brought rigour to the collection.

Alexander McQueen SS24

10-word show review: Sarah Burton’s final swansong that reflected the beauty of the monstrous feminine
Designer: Sarah Burton
Location: 

The vision: 26 years is a long time to work at a fashion house– but creative director Sarah Burton has never wavered in her vision. Just like her previous collections, a certain solemn visceral and alien-like quality was encapsulated in Burton’s final showing for Alexander McQueen. This time, Burton looked towards the monstrous feminine; not to be something that’s feared and shunned, but a quality that truly reflects what it means to be a savage beauty. Powerful yet sensual, this was an apt show for the end of an era.

The vibe: Burton presented her final requiem at the house. As carcasses of tactile and textural blacks and reds infiltrated the clean set, a brooding and otherworldly soundscape beckoned the audience solemnly into Burton’s beautiful dark fantasy.

Signature silhouettes: Cutouts added an unhinged sensuality to the show, while anatomical bodices made a frequent appearance in various iterations. Then there was the symbolic rose motif, peppered throughout the dresses and tailoring. A few standout looks were an asymmetrical and glistening gold tunic, that looked like it belonged in Alejandro Jodorowsky’s The Holy Mountain as well as a black dress with shibari-like knots seen on its front. Above all, it was none other than Naomi Campbell who stole the show with her closing look, clad in a silver armour-like dress, one that encapsulated power in femininity.