MCM Autumn/Winter 2024 Collection: Milan Fashion Week
Luxury designer MCM showcased their latest Autumn/Winter 2024 accessories and fashion collection at Milan Fashion Week, to the tune of bright leather goods with a playful sense, and an update to the brand’s iconic monogram design. We sat down for a chat and interview with MCM’s recently appointed Global Commercial and Brand Officer & President Sabine Brunner to discuss the new season, her goals for the business, and how a rejuvenated MCM is appealing to a new customer for 2024.
DISCOVER THE MCM AUTUMN/WINTER 2024 COLLECTION
MCM presents its new Autumn/Winter 2024 collection at Milan Fashion Week in an exclusive press preview on February 22, 2024 at the Palazzo Serbelloni in Italy. The Neoclassical palace in Milan is both an historic site and a work of architectural art, both facets of which could descriptively be applied to the designer’s new collection in turn. The lineup of luxury handbags, backpacks, shoes, denim, headphone covers, sunglasses, and fragrances collectively apply the brand’s signature monogram and plating in a refreshing light.
Pops of sunny brights and seasonal pastels complement each other at the presentation for a well-rounded collection seemingly built for a youthful audience – whether by birth certificate or stylistic personality. The new season’s geometric shapes build upon bold architectural forms fitting of the historic palace setting, elevated plating upon square leather goods including eau de parfum, and puffed-up silhouettes that feel sculptural yet wearable. Sunglasses present a range of frame shapes. Three-dimensional puffed sandals play upon multi-seasonal wearability. Adjustable or convertible bags speak to functionality through fashion. Silver accessories continue to stand the trending test of time as an ongoing prominent staple across the global runways, recognized here at MCM through pewter blown-up boots and shining silver metallic handbags complementing more muted matte dove gray tones in contrast. Though more than approachable for the everyday, each look brings something fun and playful to luxury dressing, which remains a goal in mind at MCM whilst building this season’s design story.
This breath of fresh air in design concepts also corresponds to multiple new appointments at MCM, whose moves are currently under the discerning eye of the fashion industry at this moment due to creative overturn last year. Previous creative director Dirk Schönberger quietly stepped down after a four-year tenure to allow creative director and designer Katie Chung to take the reins for the luxury brand, alongside the new appointment of MCM Global Commercial & Brand Officer and President Sabine Brunner.
Amongst a busy season presenting the new Autumn/Winter 2024 collection, revamping MCM’s marketing strategy, and settling into her new role through innovative ideas for the brand, we managed to catch up with Sabine about her visions for the future and current MCM gears in the works as the brand presents itself anew whilst keeping rooted in the long-established brand DNA its clientele have come to love.
Laur Weeks: Hi, Sabine! First things first, thank you for taking a moment in your busy schedule to connect, and to give us an inside look at the latest and greatest upcoming plans still behind closed doors at MCM. A strong new seasonal collection is exciting!
Last year, you talked publicly about your goal to cement MCM back into the forefront for the younger generation interested in luxury. Could you tell us a bit about some of your ideas around that?
Sabine Brunner: Our philosophy is to blend traditional craftsmanship with futuristic innovation. The Autumn/Winter 2024 collection presented during Milan Fashion Week is inspired by the cultural richness of Munich, reflects our boundary-pushing innovations, and creates products for the next generation that want to follow their own trend…create their own identity…not being defined by a brand.
We are also offering pieces that are multi-functional, allowing the wearer to carry our products in many different ways. The perfect daily travel companions.
LW: What are some ways you’ve built MCM’s long brand heritage and its roots in music culture into the new DNA and marketing approach for this year?
SB: This year, we are launching a collaboration with Honey Dijon in June, and we are also building our community of MCM Mavericks [ambassadors of the brand] with talents from the music world.
As for our heritage, all the new product details and new patterns are inspired from our DNA. And we see from our results that these new signatures are already being loved by our customers! The Diamond details on our leather bags, the new Lauretos material printed on coated cotton canvas, and the Diamant family of bags are a few examples.
LW: Speaking of the MCM Maverick ambassadors, models Cara Delevigne and Xu Meen were just presented as the newest names in the Maverick lineup with the latest campaign.
What does that term “Maverick” mean to you, and how does this idea fit into your ideal customer you have in mind for the new collection?
SB: Diverse and dynamic, these digital nomads follow their own true north – traveling effortlessly between the realms of the virtual, the physical, and the cultural. They move through these spaces purposefully, driven by a desire to discover what’s new and create what’s next. They are the optimistic and constructive rulebreakers; the open- minded groundbreakers, challenging old assumptions in pursuit of innovation and transformation. Fluent in the language of today’s trends, they seek out brands that let them make their own independent statement – the truest Mavericks.
LW: What MCM design signatures (besides the iconic logo, of course) have you built into this new season?
SB: This new season, we developed our Diamond detail into 3D dimension. The flat bags turned into perfect volume, unisex, double-zip bags. We love how we can play with sizes, materials, combinations. This bag is here to stay!
We of course also continue to add some new shapes in our world of Visetos [the MCM trademark branding most associated with the line] such as bucket bags and a fantastic multifunctional diaper bag. For shoes, we are consolidating our new sneakers on offer, as well as our seasonless sandals that we launched during Spring/Summer 2024 last season. Our clients love them.
LW: Alongside these design signatures, MCM is also known for its business and design partnerships with creative heavy-hitters in the industry, such as streetwear designers BAPE and PHENOMENON, and recently Marcolin for eyewear.
How do these partnerships fit into the new direction for the brand? What do you look for in potential partners for a collaboration collection?
SB: Our partnerships with influential brands such as BAPE, PHENOMENON, Marcolin and the upcoming collaboration with Harper Collective [a handmade, slow fashion company] are in perfect balance with the new direction of MCM. We are looking for partners who share our commitment to innovation, sustainability and a new perspective on luxury.
LW: I see, and I agree – I look forward to the new collaboration’s release! The brand’s recent evolution and such collaborations seems to have been well-received on social media and by those in the fashion industry. How have your global customers reacted?
SB: The global response to MCM's latest development has been overwhelmingly positive. Our customer base value the mix of tradition and innovation, as well as the versatility and sustainability initiatives.
We see a very strong response in our store of the new Spring/Summer 2024 collection, in all product categories. We can please our existing customers with new Visetos products, and invite new customers to the brand with our new collections.
ABOUT THE MCM BRAND
Founded in 1976 and named MCM for the initials of founder Michael Cromer Munich, MCM rapidly established itself as a household luxury name with its identifiable monogram prints and strong signature house design codes. With its recognizable trademark logo and tone, Cognac Visetos, MCM can be found on the arm or in the wardrobe of clientele across the world, spanning a global reach of influence. The brand presents its collections in Milan each season and have a booming client market in Asia and Europe especially. MCM was previously helmed creatively by designer Dirk Schönberger until 2023, and last year newly appointed creative team Tina Lutz and Katie Chung took lead to refresh MCM’s marketing strategy and brand identity for the modern customer.
The brand has seen a positive reception to its new aims, appealing globally to a younger market within the approachable luxury space and a fresh fashion clientele. We highly anticipate seeing the renewal of MCM within the luxury realm and eagerly follow their moves across the next few seasons as “one to watch” in the industry for an intriguing example of an established brand’s “facelift” done right within the current high fashion world.
CREDITS
A special thank you to MCM Global Commercial & Brand Officer and President, Sabine Brunner, for her time and kind words within this interview exploring MCM’s blazing path.
Writer: Laur Weeks @laur.weeks
Photographer: Charles Barnes @charles.l.barnes
Brand: MCM @mcmworldwide
PR: Purple PR @purplepr
Venue: Palazzo Serbelloni (Milan, Italy)
