Ottolinger’s Fashion Show, Between Chaos and Sublimation
This Paris Fashion Week 2024, designer duo Christa Bösch and Cosima Gadient delivered yet another powerful statement, a Fashion Show conducted at an apocalyptic-like pace.
The show opens with a classical melody; projectors cast their bright lights on the silhouettes as they stride through the catwalk, faster than the music. As the show evolves, so does the music, turning into a disruptive rock tune that echoes the collection’s spirit. The Girlboss is back, stronger than ever and ready to take over the city streets with unwavering determination.
Models emerged as if jumping out of bed, tucked into puffy coats whose sheer wool revealed underlying coatings of clothing: the collar of a shirt, an oversized, loosely-tied tie, combined with platform trainers and flowing jogging pants. Tweed and destroy banker jackets leave breasts, hips and thighs exposed.
It was a masterclass on deconstruction, featuring a messy layering that grants the pieces an astonishing haute couture flair. Unapologetic and confident, women on stage stand as symbols of inclusivity, subverting the codes employed by the major fashion houses.
The social satire is threaded in every seam, every detail. The collection is both casual and nonchalant, with all-in-one prints reminiscent of the Work-core style, best epitomized by the tie-shirt. Behind this effortless look, however, lies an asserted wilderness, fuelled by an overwhelming force ready to fight convention.
First and foremost, the show stood as a bold manifesto for freedom. In a world ruled by standards making up a rigid model, Ottolinger reminds us that genuine elegance lies in our ability to be ourselves, unsubmissive.
Text: Emma Grossi
Photos: Ayka Lux
