Just Cavalli RTW Spring 2024
Italian designer Daniele Lombardo is helming the relaunch of the Just Cavalli brand, which has been silent for a few seasons and has returned to present collections to press starting with the spring 2024 season.
In this new chapter Lombardo is committed to shifting the perception of the brand, affirming its separate identity rather than relegating it to being a mere second line to its bigger sibling Roberto Cavalli. To do so the designer is anchoring his vision in an eclectic mix of streetwear and sportswear that could resonate with Gen Z-ers.
More from WWD
“My challenge is to dialogue with these younger generations, not just simply make T-shirts to sell to them,” said Lombardo over Teams. He found in the sense of rebellion experienced at that age a creative trigger and a way to connect with his target customers. “It’s a feeling we all shared, the only thing that has changed now is the concept of sensuality. For Gen-Zers, this is not always expressed through a short dress but also with an oversized hoodie, for example,” said Lombardo.
Cue the mix-and-match prints and clash of proportions in the collection. Bold tracksuits featuring a patchwork pattern mingled with body-con frocks; bowling shirts and oversize knits embroidered with a new logo in Gothic font coexisted with cargo pants or sequined alternatives, while pleated long dresses in Technicolor motifs appeared next to maxi hoodies and sport-inspired crop tops.
The brand’s signature animal prints — here turned into pop visuals — dominated the lineup alongside denim, which came under many guises: overprinted, distressed, bleached or run by graphic stitching in contrasting color. A denim pant also came with a detachable detail on its back label intended to be handed like a love message, in a gimmick devised by Lombardo to “find ways for customers to interact with the product.”
Other easy-to-approach separates came with bold hand-drawn graphics and loud messages. “Theirs is the age in which you have to demand magic from life. You’re physically strong, life hasn’t bent you yet, so ‘f–k ordinary’,” he said, citing one of the phrases printed on a T-shirt.
For more MFW reviews, click here.
Launch Gallery: Just Cavalli RTW Spring 2024
Best of WWD
