By Zoe Bator
Is 2024 a year of reinvention? Dsquared2 thinks so. The brand captured the makeover ideology of 2024 to kick off the first fashion week of the new year. Identical twin designers Dean and Dan Caten amped up their typical slouchy casualwear and paired each look with a red-carpet complement — get you a designer who can do both.
Debuting their ready-to-wear Fall-Winter 24/25 show at Milan Men’s Fashion Week, the label, notoriously eccentric and enigmatic, showcased arguably their most well-rounded collection in their catalog so far. Although it is a menswear collection, Dsquared2 ignores the sartorial binary.
This new collection continues on their unconventional streak and features belts adorning beanies, crotchless chaps, and what can only be described as lumberjack couture. After decades of fashion weeks and tenfold runways, it is virtually impossible to design something completely new. However, Dsquared2 always takes up the challenge.
The overarching theme of transformation led the show and gave it a theatrical value. Walking behind a floor-to-ceiling pillar, the casual wear model underwent a head-to-toe makeover as the lights flickered. A moment of confounding for the viewer as the change took place in only a matter of seconds. A magic trick of sorts, the Caten brothers employed the ‘saw a lady in half’ technique by using two indistinguishable models — the pre-machine model looking ragged and the later looking royal.
Using the hashtag, #d2metamorph on promo materials, the metamorphosis became clear with the juxtaposition of the dirty faces etched on the first twin — models that look fresh off the set of Dune — with the ultra clean-cut glamor of the second twin. With this, they could be alluding to the duality of the modern buyer.
The designs on the garments featured fur exaggerated collars, patchwork denim, moto boots, glitter and sequins, Rasputin trapper hats, and more. Some of the looks of the tattered twins were straight-up post-apocalyptic which only aided in contrasting with the transformed twin, who donned sexy evening wear with creative cut-outs.
Dsquared2 might, however, be smart to stick with their niche in the future. The formal looks weren’t as strong or as visually appealing as the informal looks. As saturated as the formal wear market is, Dsquared2 needs to bring their laid back inherent ‘cool’ factor to this market to make themselves distinctive.
Critics often judge Dsquared2’s casual looks as homeless chic, so they might be playfully responding to this critique. Regardless, the Caten brothers are doing something in the high fashion space that’s their own and that’s not easy to replicate.
The show is definitely worth the watch and deserving of four stars. You can watch the show on YouTube or view the collection on their website.
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