ASQUIN JÖRMUNGANDR Paris SS2024 photos by HUGO LARDENE & THEO LERT
ASQUIN
Spring-Summer 2024
‘JÖRMUNGANDR’
The third ASQUIN fashion show for the Spring-Summer 2024 season took place at the Consulate Voltaire, a place of celebration, culture, and art with a brutalist and stripped-down appearance, which echoes the ideas of destruction and renewal addressed in the collection. Its title, ‘JÖRMUNGANDR’, is the name of a gigantic serpent from Norse mythology of the 9th and 13th centuries. Nicknamed “world serpent”, it is a symbol of apocalypse and rebirth.
This concept is first found in the serious, minimal, and immaculate decor, composed only of masses of transparent canvas and a mysterious structure resembling a coffin. This hosted a fanciful musical performance by the singer ODA Louise, accompanied by the music of Clara is the Devil. The first act opened the show and presented the first of the 24 silhouettes of the collection. The following were embodied by a diverse cast, made up of strong personalities, performing artists, new faces, and people close to the brand.
The collection
Faithful to its concept between stage and ready-to-wear, ASQUIN is developing more mature, more solemn silhouettes this season. The story of ‘JÖRMUNGANDR’ tells of the hatching of the egg, the molting of the reptile, its decline, and its resurrection. She uses the image of the snake to talk about the human body and its changes through a powerful and sensual wardrobe.
90s biker ensembles, tone-on-tone corseted silhouettes, and long cut-out dresses with clean lines, the shapes oscillate between rigidity and fluidity and dress as much as they undress. The range of unisex pieces is expanding to accommodate everybody and affirm all identities.
The brand’s signature electric palette is softening, and incorporating gray, beige, and white tones into its reds and greens, to invent a set of shades that are as mineral as they are organic. ASQUIN textures evolve, through more fluid and matte silhouettes, and more transparent fabrics, which contrast with the rigid and shiny snakeskin printed canvases, which are more architectural. The metallic details which take the form of the ASQUIN logo are matched with hand-crocheted metal chain pieces, like unstructured knitting.
The shoes
Eighteen of the twenty-four pairs of shoes presented during the fashion show were designed in collaboration with Dutch designer Amber Ambrose Aurèle, known for her sculptural and daring pieces. Amber Ambrose Aurèle translates the concept of the immortality of the serpent and the fierce power of warrior women into a range of high heels that range from ankle boots to thigh-high boots, in a variety of colors and materials that complement the collection.
It presents an ultra-feminine line, from ankle boots to thigh-high boots, which echo the colors and materials of ASQUIN clothing. Among the materials used, we find real leather, eco-responsible PU leather, and even authentic scales, through the use of fish leather from a French tannery.
The six most spectacular variations, adorned with sharp metal blades, evoke the feeling of impenetrable armor, both lethal and fragile. The other twelve form a limited-edition commercial collection, with three different heights and a total of three different colors; black, silver, and red. Abstract shapes are juxtaposed with clear resin block heels, encouraging a powerful walk, which highlights the fragility of the molten details.
Hair and makeup
The hair, sometimes sticky and slicked back, sometimes topped with hairpiece structures reminiscent of snake hooks, was designed by Parisian hairdresser-wigmaker Julien Parizet. The makeup, created by Alan Leal, is simple and clean, and topped with a viscous and shiny layer, which further resembles the models of hybrid creatures.
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ASQUIN’s third fashion show, presented for Spring-Summer 2024, took place at Consulate Voltaire, a brutalist and industrial-looking Parisian venue fostering celebration, culture, and art, echoing the ideas of destruction and renewal addressed in this collection. It is entitled ‘JÖRMUNGANDR’ after the gigantic serpent from 9th to 13th-century Nordic mythology. Also nicknamed “World Serpent”, it is a symbol of destruction and rebirth. This concept is noticeable in the serious, immaculate, and minimal set design, composed only of clusters of transparent canvas and a mysterious structure on the side, almost like a coffin. It then hosted an eerie musical performance by singer ODA Louise carried by the music of Clara is the Devil. The opening act started the show and revealed the first two silhouettes out of 24. The following ones were incarnated by a diverse cast of strong personalities, performing artists, new faces, and friends of the brand. The collection This season, true to its concept of mixing show pieces with ready-to-wear, ASQUIN develops more mature and solemn silhouettes. ‘JÖRMUNGANDR’ tells the story of the hatching of the egg, the reptile’s molt, its decline, and rebirth. It uses the image of the snake to talk about the human body and its changes, through a powerful and sensual wardrobe. 90’s bikers’ ensembles, nude corseted silhouettes, and long refined cut-out dresses, the shapes oscillate between rigidity and fluidity, they dress as much as they undress. The range of unisex pieces becomes larger, to accommodate each body shape and empower every identity. The electric color palette, the signature of the brand, settles down a little and incorporates more mineral yet organic tones such as gray, beige, and white, in addition to its usual greens and reds. ASQUIN’s textures evolve as well, through more fluid and matte silhouettes, and more transparent textiles, that contrast with the very architectural aspect of the rigid and shiny snake-printed faux-leather fabrics. Metallic details take the shape of the ASQUIN logo and are paired with hand-crocheted metal chainmail pieces, like deconstructed armor.
The shoes Eighteen of the twenty-four pairs of shoes featured in the show were created in collaboration with Dutch designer Amber Ambrose Aurèle, renowned for her sculptural, edgy, and elevated creations. Amber Ambrose Aurèle translated the immortality of serpents and the eternal power of fierce feminine warriors into a range of high-heeled shoes. The collection presents ultra-feminine ankle boots up to thigh-highs in several colors and materials complimenting the ASQUIN clothes. Materials include leathers but also eco-friendly PU and even real scales, with the use of eco-responsible fish leather from a French tannery. Top-quality Sea Leather has been chosen both for scales in serpents and fish. Six variations of showpieces, which include powerful iron blade details, evoke the feeling of impenetrable armor and highlight the contrast between lethal and fragile. The other twelve are part of a limited-edition commercial collection; in 3 different designs, with a total of 3 colorways: black, silver, and red. The abstract shapes are juxtaposed with barely-there clear resin block heels; a powerful walk, while spotlighting the inviting fragility of the melted embellishments.
Hair and makeup The models’ hair, sometimes slimy and slick, sometimes ugly with structured hairpieces calling back to a snake’s hooks, was imagined by hairdresser and wigmaker Julien Parizet. The make-up, created by Alan Leal, is simple and pure, covered by a shiny viscous layer, that further enforces the link between the models and hybrid creatures. |
