DZHUS's Autumn/Winter 2024 collection made a striking debut on February 6, 2024, amidst the electrifying atmosphere of Berlin Fashion Week. Sponsored by the Fashion Council Germany and The Berlin Senate, the showcase melded conceptual brilliance with deep introspection. At the heart of the presentation lay a symbolic chair, a poignant emblem of profound self-reflection. Crafted by the renowned Ukrainian architectural brand Faina, this distinctive object boasted an avant-garde design and a manufacturing technique steeped in heritage, mirroring the collection's essence.
In line with its collaborative ethos, DZHUS once again partnered with House Martin, the Berlin-based footwear brand with Ukrainian roots, sharing a commitment to cruelty-free production—a perfect complement to DZHUS's philosophy. Accompanied by an evocative soundtrack narrating an imaginary psychoanalysis session, the showcase unveiled the designer's personal journey through a tapestry of events, dialogues, and revelations. Dubbed "ABSOLUTE," the collection served as a poignant expression of designer Irina Dzhus's exploration of personal trauma.
Enduring the scars of war and overcoming past experiences of abuse, Dzhus faced a new challenge—an unsettling confrontation with her deepest fears. Channeling her creative energies into the collection, Dzhus crafted garments infused with existential rhetoric and self-irony. The silhouettes of the AW24 line blended innocence with structural sophistication, drawing inspiration from modernist comics, gnostic narratives, and speculations on gender representation.
Freezing intimate memories into 2D-iconography-based outfits, Dzhus employed sustainable sartorial techniques reminiscent of kintsugi—the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. The collection's color palette played with the stark contrast of black and white, softened by hues of ecru, nude, and grey. Fabrics were meticulously selected for their unique textures and conceptual finishes, with garments featuring intricate details such as distressed-corset-inspired tops and transformer jumpsuits crafted from upcycled gloves.
A standout piece from the collection was an oversized men's coat adorned with the silhouette of an embracing female figure—a symbolic representation of the designer's profound connection with her enigmatic protagonist. This semi-supernatural counter shape served as a reflection of Dzhus's identity, blurring the boundaries between euphoric dreams and paralyzing dystopias.
In a voyage of self-rediscovery and reinvention, Dzhus translated her trauma into avant-garde design solutions, integrating elements of her unpublished graphic art for the first time. The collection served as a testament to the transformative power of art, offering a glimpse into the intricate interplay between personal experiences and creative expression.
