Community

Richard Avedon and James Baldwin were two vanguards of their respective crafts whose friendship began when they attended the DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx. The pair lost touch in adulthood but later reconnected; their reunion led to the release of their seminal book critiquing the contradictions of American identity entitled 'Nothing Personal' in 1964. Their collaboration acts as the launching pad for Bianca Saunders' Autumn Winter 2024 collection. This season is an exploration into the mirror and the tension that exists between the inner and outer persona. Using her ingenious tailoring as a vessel, Saunders comments on the paradoxes
of twinning, highlighting that nothing is an exact mirror of its reflection.

A triumph of disruptive minimalism, Nothing Personal explores the complexities and contradictions present in menswear today. Considered attention is given to the collar this season. A scarlet two-piece vinyl set has a jacket with rounded sleeves and a high exaggerated collar that frames the face and covers the ears. The jacket's fit takes inspiration from bodybuilders and how the seams of their jackets sit slightly over their shoulders. A water repellent button-down mack with a retractable concealed hood and adjustable cuffs has a grand detachable handkerchief collar.

In her first collection since receiving the New Establishment Menswear Award at the 2023 Fashion Awards, Saunders hones in on the brand's codes and meticulously reworks her signatures. A gold silk shirt is shown with Saunders' twist denim jeans that have lines that warp inwards to evoke them being stretched and pulled. The jeans have an adjustable waistband at the back, a detail that makes them a timeless fixture in a wardrobe. Saunders revamps the balloon-like Grove trousers from AW23, which feature a pin-hem and extended belt loops that come out of the trousers. A houndstooth short jacket with a double-ended zip and pocket that sits directly on the waist is a riff on the one Saunders designed for Usher for the 2023 Met Gala. Central to Saunders' research is her study of movement, how garments take new shape as they shift from static to active.

A portrait of Richard Avedon dressed in a button-down painstakingly
tucked into his trousers inspires one of Saunders' most exciting pattern developments this season. A crisp white cotton shirt with concealed buttons has a deep pleat-like fabric manipulation that makes each line feel alive. A silk vichy taffeta shirt has stunning volume and is a subversive take on the ubiquitous checkered shirt. The square bib jacket is a standout this season; it also comes in a shirt variation paired with a baby blue 100% cotton knit trouser with a dominating waistband over silk leggings.

This season, the LVMH-backed platform Nona Source partners with Saunders, allowing the brand access to their prestige deadstock fabrics from the most renowned luxury Maisons. With the continuous objective of building upon the brand's sustainability efforts, she also uses fabrics from Positive Materials and ISKO.
Having previously worked together during SS20, Saunders reunites with multidisciplinary artist Troy Montes-Mitchie to collaborate on a T-shirt. As Saunders dives into her investigation of the mirror, the 2-D to 3-D juxtaposition of Montes-Mitchie's work inspires her. The graphic, slightly boxy tee has thumb holes, and the shirt's sleeves have an outlined muscular arm.