While the biological transition from childhood to adulthood has existed since the earliest hominins walked the earth, the concept of the ‘teenager’ as a distinct cultural identity only emerged in 1944. Defined by hormone-driven rebellion and a yearning for independence, this transitional phase has long found expression in fashion, music, and subversive social movements. For A/W 25, Marie Lueder taps into this ever-morphing archetype with The Shell, a collection that reimagines youthful defiance through her medieval fascinations.
The ‘hooligan’ was the basis for Lueder’s exploration this season, merging motifs across history associated with rebellious self-expression, reinterpreting garments with contemporary irreverence. Peasant hose as zipped denim and a panelled velour tracksuit complete with ruched sleeves evoked a Y2K court jester. Graphic tees were splayed with the brand’s moniker and the slogan ‘Men are so BACK’, a slight at digital Gen-Z humour that’s just witty enough that it doesn’t veer into incel territory. A hallmark in LUEDER’s medieval inspiration is the chaperon hoods, transformed into hoodies—the defining uniform of contemporary youth.
Footwear played a significant role in The Shell’s visual narrative, with Lueder reviving the exaggerated, pointed poulaines worn by aristocratic young men in the 14th and 15th centuries. Once considered a symbol of excess and lasciviousness—so much so that Pope Urban V attempted to ban them in 1362—these shoes re-emerged on Lueder’s runway as a tongue-in-cheek commentary on status, decadence, and revolt.
Sound played a pivotal role in this descent into the surreal. A composition by Simon Parris layered heartbeat-like ticking with the hum of drones and a haunting, androgynous a cappella, amplifying the show’s dreamlike unease. The models moved through this soundscape like spectral figures in a neo-romantic vision, their presence evoking a sense of mystery and rebellion. Lueder’s triumph was further solidified by her receipt of this season’s Berlin Contemporary Prize—an accolade that affirms her ability to push fashion beyond aesthetics into a space of intellectual and emotional resonance.
