The Italian brand AVAVAV is making noise in the fashion world with its viral fashion shows and creative concepts, specifically with their last collection at the Milan Fashion Week. The 28 years old designer Beate Karlsson is the brain behind their success, creating an original and remarkable image for the brand.
Beate Karlsson: the eccentric designer behind AVAVAV’s successÂ
AVAVAV was founded in 2017 but didn’t receive much attention from the fashion industry until 2020, when Swedish designer Beate Karlsson took the role of creative director. This newfound creative freedom allowed her to truly shine, resulting in the immense success of the brand, especially among Gen Z and fashion enthusiasts.
Beate initially gained recognition for her eccentric shoe designs, which resembled amphibian or chicken feet. This unique approach not only generated visibility, but also perfectly encapsulated the captivating concept Karlsson envisioned for the brand at the time. By subverting conventional notions of beauty in fashion, she created a visual narrative inspired by body dysmorphia, blending the deconstruction of the human body’s structure with animalistic or extraterrestrial elements.
Beyond this distinctive aesthetic, it’s essential to highlight AVAVAV’s strong commitment to upcycling. They craft their pieces using materials sourced from renowned brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Jacquemus.
However, with her debut at Milan Fashion week at their Summer/Spring 2023 Show, the designer decided to innovate even further and stand out among other runways. With a dramatic runway, the models were intentionally made to fall, illustrating the designer’s critique of the reality faced by those who believe that wearing luxury brands makes them superior. Playfully parodying the shallowness of the luxury market, the clothes featured dollar signs, caps with the phrase ‘filthy rich,’ and Rolex watches as accessories that covered the models’ entire arms. The fashion show went viral on social media, especially on TikTok, solidifying the brand as a favorite among Gen Z.
Itâs show time: get to know their best moments on runwayÂ
Their debut on MFW was just a beginning for the brand’s memorable fashion shows, AVAVAV consistently garners attention by continually introducing groundbreaking concepts.
For her Fall/Winter 2023 collection, Beate decided to humorously and intelligently critique the lack of quality in today’s luxury products and the excessive consumption driven by status rather than quality in this market. In the collection titled ‘Fake it till you break it,’ models gradually lost their outfits as they walked down the runway, either because they were poorly stitched or intentionally torn. A memorable moment was when Beate entered at the ending of the show to thanks the crowd when the walls fell down making the best finale.Â
 “I’ve been wondering why luxury is so serious? Is it because we strive for perfection? Can poor quality still be luxurious? The last collection was about maintaining a false projection of wealth and personal failure when that illusion crumbles. I’m still on this subject; there’s something very intriguing about shame and what happens when we’re vulnerable. So, I wondered, what’s the most embarrassing thing that can happen to a fashion house, and I thought it could be that the clothes were tornâ explained Beate in a press statement.
But the fashion show that really rocked the internet was the last runway at the MFW. For the first time the brand was on Milanâs official calendar, presenting the collection âNo time to designâ. Karlsson made an entire show with unfinished outfits, parodying luxury brands once again in a fun and creative way.
The show already started in a shocking and memorable way: the first model entered very quickly and as soon as she reached the bottom of the runway she came back, as if her entrance was an error. The model who followed walked half naled and had to put the clothes on the runway. Karlsson nailed at the storytelling of the show, which made her work go viral once again, overshadowing big brands with its out-of-the-box proposal.
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The article above was edited by Anna Maria Prado.
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