When we took our seats, we didn’t know what to expect. Our Robert Wun Couture Spring 2024 Runway Report is out, and the show’s front row was filled with influencers. As we waited for the show to start, Jordyn Woods walked in wearing purple; hmm, we thought to show stopper. Robert Wun offered a glimpse into the surrealistic workings of his mind and the client base he caters to.
Robert Wun Couture Spring 2024
Robert Wun’s imaginative process is a bit like journaling, he said backstage ahead of his second couture show in Paris, his surrealist creations on the runway a little peek into the workings of his mind. Horror movies, for one, are a big inspiration, informing moody surrealist silhouettes.
“I love movies and certain horror genres I don’t find scary; they’re poetic,” he said.
A gown in ash-coloured tulle was paired with a wide-brimmed felt hat with burn holes, while another looked engulfed in flames. Face coverings enhanced the dehumanization of several looks. One of his bridal ensembles — several in his “For Love” lineup — was embroidered with crystals to resemble freshly glistening blood-stains. A coat was covered in jagged shards of glass, a reference to Trinity in
“The Matrix.” “It’s inspired by what she does for love; she sacrifices everything,” he explained. Meanwhile, armour-like designs in heavily structured satin were inspired by the death of the designer’s grandmother.
Runway Report
The collection was a retrospective, lasting over ten years since he created his brand. There were reprisals of now-familiar silhouettes, but with a more confident hand, proof the designer was hitting his stride, of which there was also plenty sitting in the front row.
The opening looks, in charcoal wool, were embroidered with crystals that, from a distance, looked to be realistic raindrops pooling on the fabric or dripping off the edges of a broad-brimmed felt hat. From umbrella hats and beaked helmets to sculpted hand headpieces that clasped the face, his imaginative headwear merited a special mention. The final look, a dramatic red bustier gown, featured a matching mannequin emerging from the waist at the rear, perched over the model’s shoulders like the weight of the subconscious.
We loved every bit of it. The designer is tapping into a young crowd. Knowing that Martin Margiela was later that night, I also saw a little John Galliano inspiration, which made sense.
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Photo Credit: Robert Wun
