From Maximilian Davis’ Renaissance-inspired campaign for Ferragamo to Harley Weir’s ode to horses for Stella McCartney, here are the best Autumn/Winter 2023 campaigns
Loewe
Shot by David Sims, Loewe’s A/W23 womenswear campaign continues to place surrealism as the centre. Starring actresses Tang Wei and Taylor Russell, the campaign equally focuses on still life as it does on portraits, showcasing accessories such as the ruched and unlined nappa leather Squeeze Bag – a sculptural object in its own right. The lightness and the craft of the bag are evident in the campaign, contributing to the overall sense of suspension.
Ferragamo
First premiered earlier this year, A New Renaissance is the title for Maximilian Davis’ sophomore collection for Ferragamo, and the campaign only intensifies the designer’s new language of luxury for the house. Shot by Tyler Mitchell, the differing painted backdrops are from the famous Uffizi gallery in Florence – the focal point of the Renaissance – reconnecting Ferragamo back to its Italian heritage. The collection merges itself into the scenery and becomes a part of the story, where classic art meets modern design, displayed strikingly by sharp tailoring and bold colours.
Louis Vuitton
Pregnant Rihanna – an iconic symbol of empowerment – stars in Pharell William’s first menswear campaign for Louis Vuitton as he ignites his dynamic vision for the maison. Williams’ aim to marry his own cosmopolitan roots, Canal Street in Lower Manhattan, with Paris, is enshrined in the new speedy bag, reimagined to reflect the locale’s codes. The imagery, shot by Keizō Kitajima and Martine Syms, reflects the re-contextualisation at the core of Williams’ approach: “It is a brand that is of the people, truly.”
Stella McCartney
A shared love for animals is at the heart of Stella McCartney’s latest campaign. The ‘Horse Power’ theme runs throughout every element of the collection that includes braided rope details inspired by bridle reins to quilting referencing horse blankets and jacquards woven in Appaloosa prints, referencing an American breed that Stella’s family raised during her childhood. Shot by Harley Weir, the campaign stars Kendall Jenner. “I knew this season’s Stella girl had to love horses as much as I do,” says McCartney. “Kendall has been riding since she was a kid, just like me, and has her own ranch; you can see how at ease she is around these sensitive creatures, and them with her.”
Burberry
Daniel Lee’s A/W23 collection was an homage to Burberry’s British heritage, featuring triumphant trench coats, rubber boots, and argyle jumpers. Shooting his second campaign of the year for the house, Tyron Lebon sets the protective wardrobe against the recognisably untameable terrain of the British Isles. The bold recolouring of the iconic check pattern vibrates across the desolate landscape to inform a dramatic reconceptualisation of Burberry’s commitment to function. The campaign ties Lee’s new use of Union Jack blue together with sky and sea, placing the collection firmly in Britain’s land.
Prada
“For me, the real meaning of what we do is to bring importance to the everyday,” Miuccia Prada said of hers and Raf Simons’ Autumn/Winter 2023 collection. “Everyday life deserves beautiful things. Because every day of life counts.” Prada’s exploration of beauty, care and love transcends the house’s collection into its campaign, which aptly looks to cinema to communicate these timeless values. In imagery captured by Willy Vanderperre, cinematic idols Benedict Cumberbatch, AnOther Magazine cover star Hunter Schafer, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Letitian Wright and Li Xian each interact with physical embodiments of tenderness and affection: flowers. Beyond life-sized and uniquely crafted to each actor, the flowers visually reflect the collection’s reverence for craft.
Dior
Summing it up to “New Look to New Wave,” Kim Jones delved into the past to create an audacious future in his Autumn/Winter 2024 collection, re-inventing silhouettes of the 1950s to create a new kind of attire. This encounter between past and future translates into Maria Grazia Chiuri’s campaign, photographed by Brigitte Niedermair. The timeless monochrome palette set against a punctuating graphic decor evokes a neo-futuristic elegance, and depicts a bold new direction for the house.
Vivienne Westwood
Under the creative direction of Andreas Kronthaler, the new Vivienne Westwood campaign is remarkably personal; from the creative team and casting to the shoot location. Composed of family and friends of Vivienne, namely Cora Corré, Sara Stockbridge, Vivienne Rohner, Ben Westwood and, of course, Andreas himself, the talent and team assembled to trace the late designer’s life. Photographed by Juergen Teller in Tintwistle, the campaign is set against sites of community from Vivienne’s early years: sports clubs, playgrounds, parks and back gardens. “It’s lovely to be able to show and share where Vivienne is from,” explains Andreas. “To go up there and shoot the campaign has been very helpful in the process of coming to terms with the loss of not having her with us anymore”.
Givenchy
Transporting us to the 1950 and 60s, Givenchy’s latest campaign takes references from the golden era of couture. Against a quintessential white backdrop, the collection showcases strong tailoring, magnified volumes and sharp constructions designed to be worn with ease. In a particularly striking move, Givenchy created a trench coat in pale yellow leather that neatly captures the designer’s modern and sophisticated approach to the classics. “I wanted to express Givenchy’s new elegance by taking cues from our past and adapting them to the present. The look focuses on confidence, comfort and empowerment, three concepts that are integral to the House’s codes.’ says creative director Matthew M Williams.
Miu Miu
Subverting the codes of uniform has become a leading feature in Miu Miu collections. For their A/W23 collection, the normally hidden waistbands of stockings, signature panties worn without skirts and delicate petticoats are revealed. The collection combines function with innovation and comfort with unfamiliarity. The multidisciplinary cast includes singer-songwriter, Ethel Cain, actors Emma Corrin, Mia Goth and Zhao Jinmai, models Amelia Gray Hamlin and Annabelle Weatherly and model and LGBTQ+ advocate, Zaya Wade, who are shot, all in transitory poses, by Zoë Ghertner.
Alexander McQueen
Naomi Campbell stars alongside a cast including Elle Fanning, Liu Wen, Eva Green, Yseult, Eliott De Smedt Day, Karolina Spakowski and Momo Ndiaye for Alexander McQueen’s A/W23 campaign, shot by David Sims. Campbell appears joyously posed against a white backdrop in a skin-tight pantsuit, while another portrait of the legendary supermodel shows her dressed in a grungier look. A mix of colour and black and white, the imagery suggests an irreverent elegance that lies with anatomy, where deconstruction is essential to the creative process.
