Up in the crevice, lace in hand: Florentina Leitner SS24

For SS24, Austrian-born Antwerp-based designer Florentina Leitner pulls inspiration from the 1975 film Picnic at Hanging Rock, wherein schoolgirls disappear in the rocks.

Innocence does indeed seem to be lost or at least stripped away in several of the looks which feature demure, often childlike silhouettes with scandalous details, like the high front hem on Look 1’s white frock or the beige coat in Look 5 hiding a gingham bathing suit beneath.

Other peeks of the indecent can be had with a sheer pink lace pencil skirt or the low-waisted lavender maxi skirt paired with a square-neck matching bralette. Whimsical headwear like a open-backed ruffled gingham balaclava and a rabbit bonnet feel vintage with a practical update. I especially love the knee-high stockings embellished with crystal cherries—courtesy of Paris-based jewellery designer Helena Thulin.

From these playful and feminine looks, Leitner takes a sharper turn with a dark color palette of blacks and lavender with what she calls “rocky” vegan leather pieces in a nod to the mysterious and looming Hanging Rock. The silhouettes take on a more alluring tone and accessories like matching printed headbands and her signature sunglasses feel moodier.

Thankfully mainstays like Leitner’s printed catsuits, gloves, and flower appliqués are present in this collection and part of what gives something that whimsical Florentina Leitner touch. For as dark as the subject matter or color palette get, there always remains a ludicrous sense of volume, accessorizing, or print that keeps her designs rooted in a sense of wonder.

In celebration of Timberland’s 50th anniversary, “show shoes” were created for the collection with leather appliqué flowers on the Premium 6-inch boot. A personal favorite was the red pump lined with red appliqué flowers.

Cherry-crystal details were also included on some shoelaces and I for one am calling it the season of the cherry accessory, like those seen at Jacquemus.

All told, Florentina Leitner’s SS24 is true to brand and evokes a sense of wonder and joy even in its darker looks. This continued sense of delight that her designs deliver will be an asset going forward, especially in a world of fashion that seems to take itself so seriously as to hinder why we’re there in the first place: for the love of dressing.