Does the Jason Wu girl not need her hands?
In an online climate of ubiquitous complaints about how bad knitwear has gotten over the past few years, fabulous knit pieces were a highlight of Jason Wu Collection FW24. A gray sweater wrapping around the torso, providing figure-hugging shape; a maroon sweater dress; and shoulder-length gray knit gloves were among the pieces that brought soft fuzz to the runway.
It is too early to tell whether the conspiracy theory-esque talk about how “Clothes used to be so much better” and “Everything is bad quality now” (I try to remain skeptical when it comes to broad generalizations like these) will be quieted down by the collection. Nonetheless, the knitwear in FW24 comes across as a beautiful attempt to soothe fashion lovers — or, to put it more corporately, fill a gap in the market.
I was slightly unsettled by the length of the sleeves, often surpassing models’ hands by a few inches. I wonder if this was an attempt to summon coziness, like pulling your sleeves over your hands on a snowy day. The effect this choice seems to have on the looks is something more stylized, with longer silhouettes. Yet when looking too closely it becomes offputting. To me, the overly long sleeves show helplessness, an emphasis on beauty over independence, and restraint. In my opinion, bold sleeves are meant to make the wearer feel powerful and add to their presence. But no one has ever felt powerful in sleeves that are this long.
I do recognize the emphasis on sculptural shapes present throughout the collection. The evening dresses, in particular, are statuesque and combine sharp angles and smooth curves in a way that is reminiscent of trends in contemporary art.
With some hits and some misses, this collection struck me as difficult to interpret. 🌀
Laura Rocha-Rueda is a Colombian fashion and fiction writer based in Brooklyn who holds a Creative Writing MFA from The New School. She is your local Swiftie and will gladly chat about anything glittery and soft, and about why dismissing pop culture as frivolous is misguided and sad.