Courrèges Opens a Portal to Minimalist Heaven
For AW24 Courrèges introduced the ‘Carré Magique’, or ‘magic square’. Picture an elegant Bauhaus sculpture with a magisterial muse perched cat-like atop. Building on this concept in their latest campaign, creative director Nicolas Di Felice and Courrèges’ house scenography director, Rémy Brière, have shrunk the square to a self-contained window that offers a glimpse into an alternate world. It’s a haven of simplicity— a vision of an optimistic, unadorned, minimalistic, and ethereally beautiful future.
As the progenitor of space age fashion, André Courrèges emancipated womenswear with revolutionary silhouettes rooted in practicality and comfortability. Honouring this heritage of freedom and futurism, Di Felice has reinvigorated the 60s fashion house with his eye for the contemporary. Dressed in a black cut-out ensemble, model Sara Caballero stretches over the Carré Magique while sunrays spill over her. Hanging in Sara’s hand is the signature Holy Bag, whose name is appropriate to this esoteric campaign. In the serene world of the Carré Magique, time slows. Innate beauty is emphasised by unadorned purity.
As an ode to Courrèges’ celebrated vinyl trenches, Ibra Niakate wears a sleek, modern variation. Now held by The Metropolitan Museum, Courrèges’ green vinyl coat caused a stir when it arrived in the 1960s. The use of vinyl fabric created a sportier look in comparison to the wool or acrylic blends that were popular outerwear options at the time, earning Courrèges’ place in fashion history. Unlike their staple Reedition Vinyl Trench this new iteration morphs to the body, signalling a move to heightened sophistication.
The utopic campaign was lensed by photographer Mark Borthwick, whose vision of radical elegance matches the brands modern, effortless concept of dress. Raising its head above the complexities of the modern world, space and tranquility can be found in the abstraction of a white background. As the gloom of winter pushes on amidst the political turmoil of 2025, Borthwick’s signature light-infused style offers a fashionable sanctum.