Twins Win on Dsquared2's Fall 2024 Runway
Designers (and twin brothers) Dean and Dan Caten built a “makeover machine” on the catwalk, showcasing just how different identical siblings can be.
Dean and Dan Caten, the identical twin brothers behind the inventive Italian fashion label Dsquared2, planted a “makeover machine” in the center of their Fall/Winter 2024 runway on the opening night of Milan Fashion Week Men’s. The fictitious device served as a transformational hub: disheveled models entered the all-white facade wearing exploratory streetwear ensembles, and they quickly exited the other side in significantly better shape, sporting often-glossy formalwear. Their metamorphoses were akin to magic tricks, but the gag was that the entire cast was composed of identical twins to speed up the process.
“This season, we’re inspired by ourselves,” the Caten brothers told Hypebeast backstage. “People love to depict twins as identical people, but we have very different personalities. This show was an opportunity for us to show our different sides through daywear and eveningwear, presented with a twin casting.”
At large, the collection can be divided into two main categories: raw and refined. “The thing we love the most is creating distinct attitudes in our collections,” affirmed Dean and Dan.
On the raw spectrum, Dsquared2’s eccentric denim ensembles (many of which are covered in mud and snow) find prominence next to checkered button-downs, deconstructed sweaters and worn cotton tank tops. Fair Isle knits oftentimes live under fringed outerwear silhouettes, like studded denim jackets, and sporty influences embed themselves in jersey-inspired shirts and crop tops.
The refined pieces, meanwhile, long to be worn on your nights to remember, with seductive tailoring, upscale materials and gaudy touches. This portion of the collection sees collars plunge dramatically, revealing blinging jewelry with kaleidoscopic stones. Maxi sequins make statement pieces ideal for who’s-who clubs; faux-pony fur defines a memorable parka-turned-anorak, and a disco-ball jacket would prefer to bypass coat check and head straight to the show’s after party.
It wouldn’t be a Dsquared2 collection without hints of Western design codes; and this season, there’s a bounty of them. Chaps, reminiscent of those worn by cowboys, reveal the short underlayers and denim jeans worn beneath them. They are held up by massive gold belts, housing the brand’s gothic insignia, which would likely garner some compliments at the rodeo. Here, and throughout the entire collection, the designers toy with hypermasculine style tropes to create a wardrobe that is decidedly open-minded — and double the trouble.
See Dsquared2’s Fall/Winter 2024 collection in the gallery above, and stay tuned to Hypebeast for more Milan Fashion Week Men’s coverage.
