This season is anything but neutral as we enter the hyper-equipped domain of edgy charisma and daring sensuality.
This season is anything but neutral as we enter the hyper-equipped domain of edgy charisma and daring sensuality.
The Caten twins kick off Milan Men’s Fashion Week with a millennial fantasy packed with equal parts allure and attitude.
As the runway emerges from the darkness, we are removed from the grandiose Milanese fashion circuit and transported to what appears to be a Y2K-era adolescent bedroom complete with sex-charged video game references and a nagging mother’s voice that we are all too familiar with.
The first look already hints at the eclectic wonderland Dean and Dan have prepared as white trim pops off a black jacket with reflective trim that shimmers as it soaks up the spotlight. The jacket draws the eye to the unzipped jeans, confronting the audience with a sultry, unrelenting quality deeply embedded in the Dsquared2 code.
Courtesy of Dsquared2
Last season, the sensational duo presented a down-to-earth, hippie-chic spectrum of intricate patterns, airy knits, neutral tones and oversized cuts. This season is anything but neutral as we enter the hyper-equipped domain of edgy charisma and daring sensuality.
Dsquared2 launches its debut womenswear collection, “Star 24/7,” from 2003 at the heart of its Fall Winter 2023 collection. This time, the Catens use teenage archetypes—geek, jock, goth, femme, and emo—as the vessel for their vision of pure individuality through style.
The Co-ed collection includes decorative preppy labels embroidered on the chest of men’s coats, the lapels of women’s bomber jackets and V-neck sweaters that infuse the collection with a playful energy.
INVERTING GENDER STEREOTYPES
Playing with gender conventions, Dsqaured2 delights viewers with a collection that flips the script between the highly sexualized portrayals of women characteristic of the 2000s and the era’s strictly limited “masculine” aesthetic by flipping them on the catwalk through their collaborative show.
Courtesy of Dsquared2
As the show progresses, this reversal becomes more apparent as the male models wear graphic T-shirts with the words “choke” evoking the Coca-Cola logo and another, “sweet and mean” with an illustration of a cat. Other notable mentions include a men’s lace-trimmed tank top with “Darlin'” emblazoned across the chest and baseball caps with tiaras.
In a beautiful contrast to the feminine menswear, this season’s womenswear also includes revamped clothing traditionally considered “masculine” with a western flair. This runs the gamut from embroidered long-sleeve shirts studded with plaid hems and trimmed fringes for a seductive edge to brown leather opera sleeves lined with fringes that serve purely decorative purposes.
Clearly western influences abound as a host of star studded denim, giant belt buckles, caps and shearlings add to the mix as male and female models strut, leaving a hint of shaky fringe in motion.
Courtesy of Dsquared2
References to the wild west are not only found in the clothing of the collection, as the footwear boasts lively variants of cowboy boots in black, pink and brown.
NOSTALGIA AS A TALISMAN FOR WARDROBE COURAGE
Arguably, one of the most recurring patterns in this collection is its references to early things. Distressed jeans and skirts dip at the low waist, while denim is layered over chinos. These are a few featured modern translations of cult classics.
The collection’s vibrant designs break from convention, as puffers for men and women are cut from distressed denim or sporty nylon, and denim aprons are placed over hot pants and boxers.
Garments that carry themes characteristic of the era, including graphic tees with slogans such as “Emo”, underwear as outerwear, microskirts and asymmetric cuts for women, show that fashion is not done with sartorial recycling of Y2K motifs. Dsquared2’s eclectic language even includes Pacman characters printed on T-shirts in a new collaboration with the brand.
Courtesy of Dsquared2
The Y2K references act as a magnifying glass to look back at the brand’s history. The most exemplary is the inscription on the caps, “24 7 STAR”, alluding to his iconic womenswear collection from 2003, which is sure to enchant any Dsquared2 fan.
Initially launched 25 years ago, the eponymous brand revives its signature belt adorned with a metal buckle. Other fashion accessories include a belt bag with the same metal buckle in western or gothic style designed for men and women and a thermos plastic heart-shaped bag in pink, yellow and black.
Reaffirming the appeal of the 2000s, Dsquared2 presents us with a clever blend of high and low culture, which is most evident in the final look of the collection. As it is carried down the catwalk, the onlooker’s gaze is met with a sheer asymmetric dress that sparkles with silver embroidery and embellishments paired with arm warmers reminiscent of those DIY sock conversions seen everywhere in the early years.
Courtesy of Dsquared2
The entire collection represents nostalgia for the time when cool kids dressed up for individuality. As the music blares out the word “one of a kind,” as the final look rolls down the runway, this couldn’t be clearer.
Against the insatiable desire to generalize fashion with logos that prevail today, the Caten twins once again amazed with an unforgettable show of penetrating subversion and fearless design.