Taking over the BFC NewGen space for an unforgettable runway, the venue was dimly lit and vaguely mysterious. Cemented by greyish-white spotlighting, guests were dotted around the room, greeting each other with bounding “Hello’s” pre-catwalk. Pauline Dujancourt is a master of mixed materials and finding innovative ways to combine texture and technique. The autumn/winter offerings exist via a line which reads, “Everything is moving. Nothing feels safe”—expertly replicated amongst the garments, which felt sensual and inviting. Hemlines were simultaneously daring and cutting edge; if you were to get too close – you may walk away with bloody fingers.
The collection features an intricate dance between structured forms and fragile arrangements, showcasing that technique is not Everything: innovative drive is what helps us arrive. Texture and technique meet at a crossroads via “hand-knitted mohair, metallic crochets, and machine knits in alpaca, satin silk, and feather tulle”, offering an array of materials for the audience to sink their teeth into. Adding a bit of edge to the collection, the designer collaborated with Dr Martens’s footwear, increasing the juxtaposition between featherlight materials and heavy platformed boots.
Dujancourt’s debut catwalk was one for the books, with red appearing somewhat as a startle after the first few stylings were neutral-toned and diffident. All at once, the bold statement colour found its way, striding throughout the collection as if it were always there. The garments have been designed to rediscover connection as it permeates the designer’s process. Dedicated to her late grandmother – the garments don’t just tell a tale of rhythmic movement but previously undisclosed familial ties and memories otherwise forgotten.
Drilling this sentiment home, it’s worth noting that the collection appears on the heels of an unforeseen family heirloom, the Vriesea plant. Known for its rare beauty, its vibrant red only blooming occasionally, the sentimental gift was given to Dujancourt’s grandmother by her father in the 1980s. After her passing, the plant was propagated, individual offshoots of the floral artefact granted to each of the children. Commenting that her flower has yet to bloom, she dedicated the works in her latest collection as a precursor, showcasing that memory holds us, even in the absence of a beloved.
Fashion is not just a statement; it is a way of continuing connection, developing memory, and, in Dujancourt’s case, a place which establishes avenues to otherwise untouchable facets of previous versions of ourselves. The show was undeniable in its star power; the garments transfixed audience members. Billie Eillish’s WILDFLOWER arrived as the final song, drilling the intention between memory and loss home – the track playing over the last walk-through. As a final peek into the duality of Dujancourt’s world, the somewhat aching yet bountiful collection was tied in a bow, and the designer waved to attendees as she ran down the catwalk, laughing and teary-eyed.
Images by Tahjana Mccoy