Ludovic de Saint Sernin’s color of the season was a specific shade of green from the vintage miniature Ferrari car he used to play with as a child.
He had Barbies, too, but the designer said as he grows more comfortable with his masculinity, he found joy in doing things as per mainstream social expectations.
“This season, I wanted to show a new offering of clothes, layering, tailoring, textures, and really show what you wear to be showing power while staying true to being sensual and looking hot and powerful,” he said.
Think of a dominatrix exerting control over men in high places. De Saint Sernin played with python, and latex – a material he first encountered when designing a one-off couture collection for Jean Paul Gaultier – juxtaposing them with sharp tailoring and statement shearling coats accessorized with thick, lace-up eyelet belts.
“It’s like, you’ve been going to the club all night because you need to release the pressure, but you still have a meeting on Saturday morning. You’re gonna probably go from the club to the meeting, but you’re gonna look fab,” the designer suggested backstage.
There was a clear distinction between the male and female offerings. The men’s looks came in classic sartorial shapes, with key items including wool overcoats with big shoulders, striped suits, and lace-up shirts. Even the lace-up bustiers felt masculine. The women’s look were hyper feminine. Cue the evening gowns in sheer Japanese lace or shimmering chainmail, as seen on trans model Alex Consani, who closed the show.
“As I’m aging, I have probably grown into my masculinity more, which is why you used to see me undress the boys more than dress them, and now I’m dressing them more because I’m getting more comfortable with this type of presentation of myself,” he said.
But the designer stressed that the brand’s core message hasn’t changed: “It’s still about playing with each other’s gender and identities and not being ashamed of it.”
