Leather, Lace, and Mao Zedong — the angsty American luxury brand lives up to its name once again.
BY OWEN HODKINSON
November 2nd, 2022
On October third, designer and creative director Henri Alexander Levi debuted his Spring 2023 ready-to-wear show for Enfants Riches Déprimés (ERD) at Paris Fashion Week. The collection was shown at the Lycée Henri IV, a secondary school in Paris. The location of the show only made sense. The Lycée Henri IV is an infamously prestigious high school, which carries a certain level of exclusivity that mirrors that of ERD. While controversial graphics and aggressive styling are not new to the brand’s arsenal, this newest season proves that Henry Levi is at the top of his game.
© Behind The Blinds
For a spring collection, the show was heavily dusted with brutal, monochromatic black looks. This is completely on-brand for ERD, which translates to “Depressed Rich Kids” in English. With this simple bit of background in mind, the harsh, oversized silhouettes make much more sense. Some models seemed to drown in their outerwear, such as one look which incorporated a belted, leather overcoat. The coat included additional leather flaps on either shoulder, snapped on using metal hardware. The resulting silhouette was that of a medieval executioner. The model’s hoodie under the coat was cinched tightly around the face, mimicking the mask as well. This brooding look was one of many which featured an ominous overtone.
Courtesy of Enfants Riches Déprimés
ERD has never been a label to avoid controversy, and in fact, they have thrived on it. Pieces such as a cashmere noose, Colombine knit sweater, and more have put the brand in headlines throughout the years. This season, Henri Levi chose to place a graphic of the extremely controversial Chairman Mao on the front and back of multiple tops. While some may find the t-shirt unnecessary, Levi said “My feelings regarding T-shirts and graphics are that when they’re the most visible part of the collection, they shouldn’t get less emphasis than ready-to-wear”.
Courtesy of Enfants Riches Déprimés
While ERD has consistently blurred the line between art and fashion, their Spring 2023 show blurred the lines between traditionally gendered clothing. Many of the looks sported by male models featured lace and other delicate embellishments. However, these features did not take away from the overarching dark themes of the entire collection. One look included a pair of slim, leather chaps with simply a pair of briefs underneath. The result was a perfect blend of vulnerability and evil chic that does not appear on the runway very often. Levi has officially proven that whatever one identifies as, they should be wearing black.
Courtesy of Enfants Riches Déprimés
