London FW: Pauline Dujancourt
‘Everything is moving, Nothing feels safe’: fall into the world of Pauline Dujancourt
Pauline Dujancourt
Pauline Dujancourt’s runway debut was a storyteller’s paradise. A stylised homage to her late grandmother, and her beautifully rare Vriesea plant, her latest collection of knitwear wove a charmingly ghostly tale. A collection of florals in winter bloom, Dujancourt’s models flitted the runway in hand-knitted mohair, metallic crochet and webs of lace, satin silk and feather tulle in a dreamlike procession, to the ethereal drone of Billie Eilish. And while styling was of absolute antithesis with punky accessories and stomping footwear, Dujancourt described is as, “The Buzz, with its chunky platform and ‘90s edge, amplifies the raw, deconstructed knits, while the Elphie – sleek with wraparound laces – mirrors the balance of delicacy and strength”. A ruggedness that brought Dujancourt’s world back down to earth, it experimented with the ethereality of the space she created on the runway by giving a real, raw edge to the softness of her designs.
Her reconnection with her roots and toying between modernity and the ethereal was played in the intertwining of fragile, airy fabrics with delicate deconstructions, balancing intricacy and structure as she amplified the lingering memories of her grandmother. “Darker tones and metallic accents suggest a world beyond reality, a liminal space where memory lingers and where Dujancourt and her grandmother can meet once more” And yet the most powerful symbol of them all was the flower in bloom. Trails of red lace and dangles of chiffon followed the models at their feet, like petals falling from a stem, while stockings pierced with embroidered flowers acted as a semblance to her grandmother’s legacy. The world Dujancourt invited us into was one we didn’t want to leave. “Soft neutrals, ethereal greys and hazy blues set an atmospheric foundation, while deep red – directly referencing the Vriesea plant – adds a striking focal point.” After years of showcasing at presentations and honing her craft and touch, Dujancourt’s first runway has cemented herself as one of the female designers to watch.