This season, the renowned German luxury brand MCM presented its Fall Winter 2024 collection, weaving together the brand’s illustrious heritage with an audacious vision of the future. Guided by the visionary prowess of Creative Director Katie Chung, MCM embarks on a metaphorical odyssey from Munich to Mars, crafting a collection that pays homage to its historic roots while daring to explore uncharted territories.
INTERVIEWS
The presentation took place against the backdrop of Milan’s historic Palazzo Serbelloni, imaginatively transformed to reflect the thematic journey between Earth and Mars, creating an immersive experience for the attendees. The FW24 collection’s debut under Chung’s direction was a breathtaking spectacle, showcasing a collection that champions luxury, versatility, and groundbreaking innovation. Among the highlights were the introduction of the MIRUM® capsule featuring sustainable, plant-based leather alternatives, and an exciting collaboration with Harper Collective for eco-friendly travel solutions.
DSCENE Magazine Editor Anastasija Pavic sits down with Katie Chung to talk about her creative vision, the inspirations fueling this season’s designs, and her ambitions for MCM’s trajectory. Chung, with her extensive background at Wooyoungmi and a legacy of fashion innovation within her family, shares her approach to blending MCM’s rich history with fresh, avant-garde concepts, and her vision for the brand’s global influence.
How has your experience at Wooyoungmi influenced your approach to creative direction at MCM? – Although I launched women’s clothing at WOOYOUNGMI, it seems that the experience of directing men’s clothing as a woman for a long time has an androgyny view of design. MCM is also genderless, so it is very helpful, and based on that experience, I am trying to bring a lot of tailoring-based collections that were not in MCM before.
I think my role here is to create a harmoniously compromised creative collection to accept and coordinate the opinions of several people like the conductor of an orchestra to produce a beautiful melody.
What unique perspective do you bring to MCM as a creative director, particularly given your family’s legacy within the fashion industry? – My long experience creating a brand in a family is to communicate within a brand and learn to take responsibility for each role, respect each other, and compromise with each other. Same here at MCM, as there is nothing I can do alone, I think my role here is to create a harmoniously compromised creative collection to accept and coordinate the opinions of several people like the conductor of an orchestra to produce a beautiful melody.
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Could you share some insights into the inspiration behind MCM’s Fall Winter 2024 collection under your creative direction, and how it reflects your vision for the brand? – The FW24 collection is inspired by Munich’s cultural tapestry, the birthplace of MCM’s iconic design codes. It signifies a journey from “Munich to Mars,” pushing the boundaries of innovation while reflecting a fusion of heritage craftsmanship and futuristic elements.
How do you envision balancing the heritage of MCM with the need to innovate and stay relevant in today’s fashion landscape? – Combining MCM’s rich heritage with futuristic innovation is a nuanced process. For the FW24 collection, this is achieved by reinventing iconic styles such as the Diamante and the iconic backpack, while introducing new designs such as the Diamante 3D. It’s about evolution, not reinvention, to keep MCM relevant without losing its brand identity.
What are some key elements you aim to infuse into MCM’s designs under your creative direction? – I think Modernizing Heritage is my biggest homework for this brand. MCM has been loved for a long time for its monogrammed pattern called VISETOS. Respecting the heritage, I created new original patterns and shapes that originated from there, and I hope they will be loved by the brand for a longer time to come.
I think Modernizing Heritage is my biggest homework for this brand.
How do you navigate the balance between staying true to MCM’s signature aesthetic and introducing fresh, contemporary elements in the latest collection? – We aim to respect MCM’s signature design codes while introducing contemporary elements. In the AW24 collection, we redesigned iconic pieces and introduced new fabrics emphasizing a fusion of traditional and innovative design.
What emotions or feelings do you hope the new collection evokes in those who wear and experience it? – With this collection, we aim to evoke confidence, sophistication and a spirit of adventure among our Mavericks. Each piece, from the Diamante 3D to the transformative backpack, is designed to celebrate the fusion of innovation and individuality. It’s about empowering people to explore the world without boundaries.
How do you anticipate the new collection contributing to the ongoing evolution and growth of MCM as a globally recognized fashion brand? – The AW24 collection is the next step in MCM’s evolution to redefine luxury, embrace sustainability and meet the needs of digital nomads. Our new partnerships and licenses are further strengthening this positioning.
