Nothing New

June 23, 2023

032c READYTOWEAR Spring/Summer 2024 Collection: “Nothing New”

PRESS RELEASE

There’s nothing new under the sun. What’s new is actually old and has been used and reused ad nauseam. Nowadays, we no longer invent originals, we introduce pre-existent relics—which is a tautology, a constant repetition. The compulsive desire to repeat is the relentless reality we live in. It minimizes agitation in the hopes of molding a story that leads to a novel way of living (and dressing).

The 032c READYTOWEAR Spring/Summer 2024 collection “Nothing New” by Maria Koch is nothing new. Because the new is fictitious and prevents us from envisaging its very promise. Inspired by the dossier of the current summer issue of 032c, “Nothing New” encompasses the desire for novelty without making inauthentic vows. Classic carry-over denims, suit jackets, and wool jumpers act as familiar constants that have birthed metaphors of themselves: waists have become tighter, fabrics have become lighter, and shapes have become looser while bedecked with distinct adornments. Washed out grays and worn-out treatments symbolize the attrition of the traditional—they are carried through various seasons without becoming old, because the old is the new anyway.

Layered dresses and t-shirts render the illusion of two things that are actually one, and knits with distinct levels of transparency engender a trompe l’oeil effect. Varying degrees of faded blacks and grays compliment instead of clash with each other—they build a synergy of seeming sameness that merges into authentic intransigence. Coming back to essentials is a purifying moment, it reminds us of what really matters. Asymmetric, off-shoulder pieces and intentionally crinkled garments exemplify that it is not about flawlessness—stories are told through consensus and not verisimilitude. “Nothing New” does not try to narrate a new story, it is the story.

“I was interested in working with the spectrum of loose street silhouettes and tight taliloring, with baggy volumes morphing into evening proposals. The color palette has been reduced to support this direction,” says 032c READYTOWEAR Creative Director Maria Koch.

The collection also includes a collaboration between German eyewear brand MYKITA and 032c with glasses that encapsulate 032c’s aesthetic through voluminous, wraparound shades that have organic lines and a sculptural feel. The collection also features a selection of shoes made in Venice, Italy that were developed by the German heritage brand Unützer.

PRESS REVIEW

“[032c] has evolved into something bigger and weightier—a media brand and a fashion brand in parallel, capturing and disseminating a leading edge of Berlin’s creative class.” — READ MORE

“Trying to do something new is a marketing strategy,” said the creative director of the buzzy German label at a cocktail party to celebrate the launch of her collection. “What is new is to find a scenario that changes something existing. […] Baggy pants became a full silk skirt for evening, with flaps of fabric on the hips adding interest, while a roomy trenchcoat had the volume of streetwear and the rigor of something more formal. Shorts for men were done in a stiff satin, with boxy pockets, and given the more rounded volumes of a miniskirt, while leather pants had a scuba-fabric finish, making them less literal and more edgy. […] [Maria Koch] also brought another young Berlin talent to Paris, singer-songwriter Gavriel August, his energetic performance as he moved through the crowded venue ramping up the cool factor a little higher still.” — READ MORE

“In many ways, 032c’s SS24 “Nothing New” collection is an ironically sustainable message. In producing a collection of clothes, it makes you consider if these clothes, or any new clothes for that matter, are actually worth it at all.” — READ MORE