In the SS24 collection by Glenn Martens, a symphony of experimental and practical design intertwines, invoking a dialogue where open-ended questions overshadow definitive answers. The collection, a sartorial exploration from Y/Project Studio, finds its equilibrium amidst pragmatic versatility and daring exploration, weaving a tapestry that seeks to either extend or disrupt traditional silhouettes. Throughout, it crafts a dance between structure and graphism, harmoniously layering and morphing perceptions of a garment’s lineage into something beautifully ambiguous. The inherent modularity within allows for limitless metamorphosis, crafting sculptural expressions that seemingly scoff at gravitational confines. Threads of historical references – from gothic architecture to genesis tales and aged patina – whisper a darkly majestic narrative throughout the season.
Through the strategic use of foiling and internal wiring, garments morph, achieving dynamic fabric swirls and peaks that dynamically stand away from the body. Classic archetypes are contorted, and abstracted, yet possess the potential to revert to traditional proportions at the wearer’s whim. Utilizing hook-and-eye closures and press studs, the collection spins a web of endless stylistic reconfigurations, from bisecting lingerie dresses and parkas to layering two-toned denim or leather, thus sculpting fluid, cowled workwear. The collection maintains its tensile strength in details like halter neck tailoring dangling from flowing linings and tiered dresses melting into spiral hems of satin and iridescent taffeta. Memory prints, appearing almost scorched into the fabric, parallel the trompe l’oeil effect of knit gradient dresses that contour the body, mirroring the season’s fragility and emotional crescendo in a 2D spectacle.
