Ashley Williams and her post-apocalyptic world for SS24

In a world where society is crumbling and contemporary culture lies forgotten in the sands of time, certain vestiges emanate a surprising beauty. Pink ballerinas, silent witnesses of generations, bear the traces of use and the passage of time. Hello Kitty, now distorted by time, becomes an evocative icon of a bygone era.

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In the midst of this chaos, designer Ashley Williams presents her Spring Summer 2024 collection, a bold exploration of pre- and post-civilization eras. Williams dips into the medieval to imagine a future where the remnants of consumerism are adapted to an afterlife.

Baby sweaters, reinvented as headdresses with dangling knitted arms resembling the sleeves of a jester’s hat, convey a sense of whimsy and timelessness. Fourteenth century buttons converge with brilliant transcriptions, reflecting the reflection of our narcissistic culture. The symbiosis between mushroom-cut garments and synthetic, spiritual symbols implies a resistance in the face of organic matter that attempts to erase them.

Williams’ inspiration, rooted in her personal mythology and the protective majesty of historical costume, brings to life what she calls “Bosch girls.” These garments glow with an enigmatic energy, evoking a primordial, post-apocalyptic world of beauty and grace.The masks, once worn by 16th century women in search of shy anonymity, now become shields against facial recognition in a world where our personal data is the most precious treasure.

The collaboration with The Gate, an arts and resource center for people with learning difficulties in London, demonstrates Williams’ commitment to inclusivity and diversity. Fashion, in its most avant-garde form, becomes a tool for empowerment and expression for all.

Ashley Williams’ collection is not only a vision of an imaginary future, but also a statement about resilience and fashion’s ability to adapt and reinvent itself. In a world where the present lies forgotten, these garments connect the past with a future yet to come, finding meaning in even the most challenging moments and in a world that reinvents itself over and over again.

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