Elegant And Chic: Altuzarra’s Take On Contemporary Fashion

Image Courtesy: Su Mustecaplioglu / Altuzarra

On his 15th anniversary at New York Fashion Week, Joseph Altuzarra took the collection away from the known and bustling NYFW runways and opted for a more intimate setting. In a large room with bright, natural lights flooding in, guests eagerly awaited against the beige walls for the show to begin. This season's book was Henry Isben's play, A Doll's House, which centers around self-discovery and Altuzarra's inspiration for this collection. As the lights dimmed and fast-paced violins started playing, Altuzarra's Fall/Winter collection strutted down the runway one by one.

"I wanted this collection to feel, in some ways, like a 'collection' in a different sense of the word, meaning: collected, over time, passed from generation to generation, and gathered over many travels and discoveries," says Altuzarra, giving a view on what's to come. The designer, known for his fiercely feminine tailoring that is deeply influenced by his French upbringing, took a more cinematic approach during his SS24 collection, leaving us eager to see where this "collection" inspiration will take him this NYFW season.

Since the beginning of his fashion line, Altuzarra has aimed to design for women who balance their whole lives with a sophisticated sensibility and who hold an inherent style. His years of refined pieces tell you that, with fabrics ranging from linen, leather, burlaps, and velvet, and designs that include thigh-high slit skirts, fitted jackets, silk blouses, and his overall haute-boho trademark dresses. This new collection holds many familiar things but takes different paths from the designer's older collections.

Elegance, chic, and classic remain a theme of Altuzarra's newest collection. Staying close to his choice of refined pieces and high-end feminine tailoring, a sophisticated sheath silhouette adorned most of his designs, often paired with thick fur coats or open front overcoats with the collars popped up and lined inside with fur. A pencil and bias-cut hemline trimmed much of the collection, keeping the designs form-fitting. Billowing sleeves took presence on long, black dresses that fell to the ankles and sequence-knit sweaters that echoed classic patterns. 

The accessories were often bare regarding the jewelry. Still, model after model strutted out with large bags, the strap hanging off the shoulder and setting the scene of a woman who balances her full life, both sophisticated and possessing self-confidence. But bold statements shine through in the dark Nefertiti Crown-styled caps and large, ruffled Pierrot clown collars that direct all attention to the covered collarbones. 

Neutral colors, such as brown, black, white, and dark blue, were often seen in these designs. But there would be bursts of color, such as the bright red dress with a bodycon silhouette and bias cut hemline and held an off-the-shoulder neckline lined with red roses. Or another red-orange suit, this time skin-tight stockings with cropped flap blazer pulled together by a black scarf, hanging from under the collar as a large bowtie. The champagne-colored, sequined gown took the crown, however. With a deep, plunging v-neckline and flowy skirt tied together by the three roses stitched at the waistline, accompanied by smaller ruffles.

Irina Shayak closes the runway, decked in a white-knitted cap, sheer stockings, and a black leotard pulled together with a plain black belt, a fitting thesis for the collection. The metaphorical curtain falls, leaving you to linger on the designs. The concept of collected, passed from generation to generation, and gathered over many travels and discoveries, held tight in timeless, classically chic pieces. Parts shone through in the sequined sweaters, bulky fur coats, and star-patterned designs, reminding you of previous generations. The collection was made for the modern woman in the contemporary world: elegant, chic, and classic.

Strike Out,

Rameen Naviwala

Boca Raton

Rameen Naviwala is a content writer for Strike Magazine Boca. A water sign that enjoys rom-coms and reading melodramatic novels, she spends most of her time with headphones on and scribbling down whatever thought comes to mind. You can reach her at rameen.naviwala@outlook.com.