The power of flowers
This review is brought to you in collaboration with Bolou Fine Jewellery.
READ THE ORIGINAL VERSION IN DANISH HERE.
Munthe, Thursday, August 8, 2024 at 11 AM, CIFF
There aren’t many brands in the Danish fashion industry that can boast a 30-year legacy, let alone with the same visionary at the helm, but Munthe can. And with today’s show, the brand made a bold statement, underscoring exactly why they remain relevant after all these years with a collection that elegantly built upon the DNA they’ve so masterfully crafted.
Munthe’s show production knows how to set the scene… We were initially led into a vast, pitch-black room, but as the spotlights flared up and the show commenced, the space revealed the most exquisite oversized white paper cut-outs and a pristine white catwalk. Fittingly, the first half of the show was held in white and very light tones, with a floor-length dress in vintage French lace lending the collection an almost poetic quality.
A floral theme was woven throughout the collection. Take, for instance, a cream-coloured leather skirt with tulip pleats, where flowers were stitched into the leather, creating a quilted effect, while another skirt adorned with three-dimensional flowers almost resembled paper cut-outs. Naturally, the collection featured floral prints as well, and these weren’t chosen on a whim. Months ago, Naja Munthe herself bought flower seeds, nurtured them on her windowsill, planted them, harvested, dried, and pressed them, all to create the precise pattern needed for the floral trim on, say, a ruffled dress. This dedication to craftsmanship and the love of creating things from the ground up is the very heart of Munthe’s collection.
Denim has also become a core part of Munthe’s DNA, but denim with a twist. Here too, the floral motif reappeared, as seen on a denim tunic embellished with flowers in matte sequins, or the more rugged denim styles with lace-up details, such as a pair of high-waisted trousers or a blouse with a sailor-inspired closure.
Overall, the blend of feminine poetry and a rawer aesthetic worked beautifully, giving the collection a cohesive feel, balancing classic Munthe signatures with fresh silhouettes.
And with today’s show, Munthe, along with Baum und Pferdgarten’s yesterday, proved they are some of the heavyweights of the fashion world, highlighting how crucial it is for our industry to have them on the fashion week calendar, especially now that some of the other major Danish brands have chosen to prioritise differently, either by withdrawing entirely or moving their shows abroad.
This review has been translated using ChatGPT.
See a selection of the show looks below and see the entire collection here.
