In Paris, Danish designer Cecilie Bahnsen swapped out her colourful cotton candy creations for a more mature mode this autumn/winter season
This season, there seems to be an unspoken agreement among our favourite fashion houses and designers to shine the sartorial spotlight on the ordinary. The day-to-day wardrobe of of the working woman who needs to make the most out of her clothes. But how, pray tell, does a fantastical brand like Cecilie Bahnsen fit into this rather rigid mould? The answer, it seems, comes in toned-down silhouettes, practical fabric choices and an unusually muted colour palette.
Yes, her signature romance was prevalent throughout the collection in the use of meticulously placed lace, strategic touching, voluminous tutus, bows and frills. That said, the opening 13 looks stepped onto the runway in an all-black scheme setting aside Bahnsen's usual pastel palette for now. Instead of relying on dreamy hues, the tactility became the focal point: delicate sheer slip dresses layered under chunky knitwear, sparkling embellishments emerging underneath a water-wicking coat with billowing sleeves. A high-shine leather mini dress with a bustier neckline liner by lacework. The monochromatic mode carried on through the collection, shifting from back to a deep indigo denim denim dress with floral appliqués before making a shift towards virginal white in four looks that can only be described as angelic.
With this focus on a more grown-up Cecilie Bahnsen woman, the silhouettes caved to more utilitarian models. Easy-to-throw-on coats and jackets populated the runway, styled with Bahnsen's signature shifts. A show-stopping silver dress emerged towards the end of the show, followed by a dove-grey dress with inlays of silk ruffles and tone-in-tone lace – a look we would love to see worn on the red carpet.
Below, discover all the looks from Cecilie Bahnsen's AW24 collection:
Cecilie Bahnsen - AW24
