A lot has happened since we first interviewed Florentin Glémarec and Kevin Nompeix, the duo behind Egonlab, back in 2020. They founded their brand in 2018, but 2020 put them on everyone’s radar because of the viral pictures of their grandparents attending several shows of Paris Fashion Week in their punk-inspired clothes. Now, presenting their ninth collection for Fall/Winter 2024, they stick to their values, bringing politics at the forefront and connecting with their generation’s concerns. Titled Only Lovers Left Alive, a reference to Jim Jarmusch’s 2013 film starring Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston, this collection is about our resilience to fight the constant pressures of a hyperconnected world that makes us perceive reality through fake filters and even faker smiles.
Eager to discover the mystery that lies behind Egonlab’s latest collection, Crush Services invites us backstage with photographer Iulia Matei. And yes, that eagerness to get instant access to everything is one of the issues that Egonlab brings to the table with their new collection. Even more, they put the body at the centre, commenting on how already three different generations –Millenials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha– grew up (or are still growing up) surrounded by 24/7 pressure, delusion, and impossible standards. Inevitably, this affects people’s psyches, which is why the brand has partnered with organisation Psycom to raise awareness about the importance of taking care of our mental health.
“For our generation, the act of buying has become a political demand, and it is through clothing that we can spread a message and affirm our values. Nowadays, we believe that it is essential for an emerging brand like ours to reflect and position itself on the world around us,” Florentin and Kevin told us back in 2020. These words are truer than ever, especially after presenting a punk-influenced, tailored collection that distorts the body and creates different proportions and silhouettes. And more especially with a couple of looks where the bodies themselves are the clothes, the branding, speaking of how they’re turned into commodification objects through social media.
