For their F/W 24 collection reveal in Paris, designers Florentin Glemarec and Kevin Nompeix of EGONlab leaned into dark power, taking shape in the forms of sharp suits, fringed leather and statement piece closures.
“At its essence lies the poetic embodiment of pain.” Crudely revealed skin and visible lacerations on the garments mimic bodily wounds, as slivers of skin are strategically found throughout the collection. The glimpses of bare chests and midriffs are pointed and powerful, and rather than being sexualised, takes on a casual devil-may-care nonchalance.
Directed by Jim Jarmusch, Only Lovers Left Alive is (hardly) debatably one of the best vampire films of modern day cinema. The film is an exquisitely stylish love story to the patina of fading glamour, the beauty found in scuffs and bruises and bite marks, the fragility of life, and the everlasting power of love standing confidently in the face of our world’s tragedies and daily mundane horrors. The costume design and styling from Only Lovers Left Alive has a cult following (what’s not to love when Tilda Swinton is bejewelled in velvet robes?) and fans of that aesthetic will certainly understand the alignment of EGONlab’s collection name. In the film, an ageless musician from the 70s continues to wear his same threads, fifty years later- updating his outfits only how they need be. Oversized pointed collars and slim fit knits and structured trousers dominated the runway, which is exactly the kind of aging grace hippie style Jarmusch was pushing for in the film.
Style and swagger is the lifeblood for this diverse trope of runway vampires. The models look like rockstars that smell good, devoid of sexualisation, and the last thing they will be bothered by is a nip slip. The heavy fringe dances beautifully around stoic faces, and any grunge is polished up by the appearance of an elegant metal broach (is it closure, or simply accessory? I’m eager to see it in person.)
The EGONlab bodies look fragile, but the pain has strengthened them beyond basic muscle. The bodies are “celebrated, unveiled, sublimated.” While most of this collection’s garments may finally appeal to a more mature audience, EGONlab still has a lot to offer the younger generation, and not just in the form of coveted wearables.
Alongside the collection, EGONlab has announced their partnership with PSYCOM, a public organisation whose mission is to provide information, advice, and help destigmatize mental health care. “At the dawn of adolescence and the age of possibilities, we want to raise awareness over the contemporary pressure of appearance and the constant pursuit of imposed perfection. Filtered smiles, transformed bodies- these are tools for a world that judges us. We denounce this injunction that wounds, and provide weapons to resist.”
Wonderful words to hear coming out of the otherwise perfection-dominated Parisian fashion weeks, alongside a showcase of delightful clothing to wear when all one can do is watch the world burn, alongside your lifelong leathered vampire counterpart.
