Victor De Souza’s Spring Summer 2024 was a decadent spectacle. The audience was packed at 3 West Club, eager to see de Souza’s sartorial offerings for the season.
It’s easy to see why these women love his clothes because they’re made to love them right back. In what he calls conscious couture, ethically and sustainably made bespoke clothes are committed to integrity, longevity, and beauty. Victor de Souza presents a vision of womanhood that is majestic and romantic. Time has collapsed in his clothing; these clothes may be inspired by an old idyllic world inspired by European and Oriental artwork, but the clothes are molded to modern women.
This collection also doubled as a launch event for Victor de Souza’s new signature fragrance, Splendour Absolu Extrait De Parfum, made in collaboration with luxury perfumery Navitus Parfums. The fragrance was made in France by master perfumer Bertrand Dechaufour, under creative direction from de Souza. Some of the models were seen carrying the fragrance bottles in pearl and gold chain bags. This makes sense because for de Souza, fashion is more than the look, it’s an all-consuming aesthetic experience.
The show begins with a structured royal blue top with strong shoulders and silver \ chinoiserie embroidery, paired with a low waist floor-length mermaid skirt in silk georgette, showcasing a bare midriff. In this ensemble we have all the elements that make de Souza so desirable; it’s feminine and strong, dreamy and almost militant (ceremonial), and highly desirable. The next look is a blue tweed suit consisting of a cropped blazer with matching body-hugging shorts that resemble bicycle shorts. Throughout the collection, we’re shown iterations of the Victor de Souza woman. In one instance, she wears a silky pink underboob-exposing crop top with a low-waist billowy ball gown skirt. In another instance, it’s a buttery yellow crop top white-lacey high-collar, and a body-hugging skirt. One model wears what looks like brocade hot pants with a structured blazer. There are backless midi dresses, bold dress jackets with dramatic shoulders, and corseted shirts with elongated sleeves. These clothes have an old-world feel to them, but the silhouettes– and the materiality– are contemporary; like apparitions from Baroque paintings transfiguring into modern women.