Ludovic de Saint Sernin presented his first collection as creative director of Ann Demeulemeester in Paris, framing it as a love letter to the house's founder. The 36-look show pulled directly from the brand's three-decade archive, with de Saint Sernin studying the 2014 Rizzoli monograph of Demeulemeester's work to select and recreate specific historical pieces.

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The opening look featured a single feather covering the model's chest, recreated in leather and wood rather than actual plumage. This referenced both Demeulemeester's handwritten departure letter to industry contacts in 2013 and a 1992 runway moment. Throughout, de Saint Sernin maintained the house codes: longline jackets with elbow seams, asymmetrical knits that clung to the body, and floor-length silk skirts worn by both men and women.

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Equestrian references threaded through the collection via saddlery-inspired hardware and stitching details on leather pieces. The color palette expanded from signature black into what de Saint Sernin called "faux blacks": burgundy and aubergine. Knits were cut to create liquid draping effects, while tailoring came in both structured wool and transparent organza that revealed construction details underneath.

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Materials included leather treated in small Italian tanneries, silk cut into billowing sleeves that pooled at the wrists, and heavy fur mantles that appeared later in the show. Footwear ranged from flat boots to stiletto versions, maintaining the brand's emphasis on statement shoes. Models of both genders wore identical looks in sequence, emphasizing the gender-fluid approach de Saint Sernin brought from his eponymous label.

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The collection functioned as a statement of intent rather than innovation. De Saint Sernin demonstrated fluency in Demeulemeester's vocabulary while inserting his own sensibility through more exposed skin and body-conscious cuts. Whether this archival excavation can sustain future collections remains the question.