A Romance of Color and Coats
Review of Ulla Johnson Fall 2024 Fashion Show
By Mark Wittmer
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
THE THEME
Fall 2024 saw Ulla Johnson continue to push her signature perspective of colorful and voluminous romanticism while layering in relaxed takes on masculine tailoring. Both of these motifs took on a new shade of meaning in connection to a first for the designer: for the first time, male models appeared on the runway.
We’re in a fashion era that has come to recognize that a statement coat can be just as elegantly impactful (or even more so) than a gorgeous evening gown, and the collection made another strong case by treating both of these categories with the same spirit of color, romance, and drama. Men’s tailoring traditions were present in form but tweaked in structure for an emphasis on softness and motion rather than rigidity. This was especially evident on some of the menswear looks that featured sumptuous long coats and florid color combinations.
Nonetheless, the collection couldn’t quite be called gender fluid; each piece seemed to distinctly fall into a traditional category, and there weren’t any men in dresses. Still, though her vision may not be radical, Ulla Johnson deserves commendation for recognizing that it’s time for softness and romance to be decoupled from a strictly binary idea of gender, and she expertly embodied this recognition in her designs.
THE BUZZWORDS
Sumptuous. Romantic. Voluminous.
THE SHOWSTOPPER
Look #26
With its balance between structure and fluidity, this coat worn almost like a dress perfectly embodies the collection’s sensitive reconsideration of menswear archetypes in service of a romantic strength.
THE DIRECTION
THE WRAP UP
Ulla Johnson made an exciting first push into menswear while seamlessly incorporating it into a women’s collection that was another strong statement of her signature style. Though the launch of the new category felt more like a toe in the water than a deep dive, we look forward to seeing the designer become even more herself as she continues to consider what further forms the brand can take.
