First: should maximalism have a point?
Enough with quiet luxury! While Libertine’s brand identity can consistently be defined as LOUD, punk, and irreverent luxury, the FW24 collection pushed the limits of maximalism.
A galaxy print with roses, gemstones, and jewels was a throughline of the show. Grainy oversized eyes and ears printed on a black background made a fun (and somewhat unsettling) appearance. Dogs embroidered onto jackets as mini plushies added cozy whimsy.
It’s interesting to think of Libertine as a Los Angeles brand because the aesthetics to me read closer to the Brooklyn lifestyle: a little clown-like, tongue-in-cheek. Dressed not to impress, but to shock. And while the looks are fun (maybe too many face parts for my personal preference!) the styling didn’t hit the nail on the head for every look. Feathery colorful wigs seemed to somehow mock the electrifying looks.
I did love the texture play on shoes and the funky sunglasses as accessorizing accents. But the wigs were often attempting to do too much of the talking when the clothes were perfectly capable of doing so. While the Marc Jacobs show used wigs to its advantage and people haven’t been able to stop talking about Pat McGrath’s makeup for the Margiela Spring 2024 Couture show, here the message is diluted in the styling. Perhaps it wasn’t strong enough in the first place.
I appreciate fashion that takes us out of our comfort zones, especially since we’re finally seeming to break out from the tyranny of quiet luxury for quiet luxury’s sake. But this seems to me like simply the other extreme: maximalism for maximalism’s sake. 🌀
Laura Rocha-Rueda is a Colombian fashion and fiction writer based in Brooklyn who holds a Creative Writing MFA from The New School. She is your local Swiftie and will gladly chat about anything glittery and soft, and about why dismissing pop culture as frivolous is misguided and sad.