‘Tactile, reduced and raw’: exploring the sensual textures of the A/W 2024 collections


A season of tactility, texture and touch – so runs the byline for the September 2024 Style Issue of Wallpaper*, our deep-dive into the A/W 2024 fashion collections. On the cover, seminal American model Kelly Mittendorf – who began her career over a decade ago when she booked a Prada campaign aged just 16 – appears in a shaggy shearling coat from McQueen, part of designer Seán McGirr’s debut collection as creative director of the British house.

Photographed by Nicole Maria Winkler and styled by Wallpaper* fashion and creative director Jason Hughes, it featured as part of a series of images exploring the texture-rich ensembles of the A/W 2024 womenswear collections, from glossy leather to enveloping shearling and faux fur. These are clothes that are as pleasurable to wear as they are to look at – a mood of sensory pleasure that runs through the season’s collections.

‘Tactile, reduced and raw’: the sensory pleasures of A/W 2024

Model Kelly Mittendorf wears A/W 2024 womenswear collections

Vest, £2,950, by Bally (enquire at bally.co.uk). ‘Stevie’ leather hide in Espresso, £200 per m, by Zinc (available at zinctextile.com)

(Image credit: Photography by Nicole Maria Winkler, fashion by Jason Hughes)

‘The theme of the story was skin on skin,’ says Winkler. ‘We wanted to create something very tactile, reduced and raw with leathers and skin-like materials. I’ve been working around themes of materiality and the female body for a while, so this felt like a natural extension of some of my personal work.’

‘It was special to shoot the day before I turned 30,’ adds Mittendorf. ‘Turning 30 means I’ve officially spent more than half of my life on set, and it feels like a full circle moment to know who I am while working on a project that felt so sensual and present and collaborative. Twist my arm to hop on a plane to London and lounge about in luxurious clothes with wonderful people.’

Model Kelly Mittendorf wears A/W 2024 womenswear collections

Gloves, £630, by Miu Miu (available miumiu.com). ‘Mart’ armchair, price
on request, by Antonio Citterio, for B&B Italia (available aram.co.uk)

(Image credit: Photography by Nicole Maria Winkler, fashion by Jason Hughes)

Loewe Flamenco bag with balloon inside

Bag, £2,550, by Loewe (available harrods.com)

(Image credit: Photography by Nicole Maria Winkler, fashion by Jason Hughes)

Model Kelly Mittendorf wears A/W 2024 womenswear collections

Bag, price on request, by Acne Studios (enquire at acnestudios.com)

(Image credit: Photography by Nicole Maria Winkler, fashion by Jason Hughes)

Model Kelly Mittendorf wears A/W 2024 womenswear collections

Coat, price on request, by Chanel (enquire at chanel.com). Shoes, £930, by McQueen by Seán McGirr (available at alexandermcqueen.com)

(Image credit: Photography by Nicole Maria Winkler, fashion by Jason Hughes)

Model Kelly Mittendorf wears A/W 2024 womenswear collections

Trousers, £2,025, by Sportmax (enquire at sportmax.com). Shoes, £930, by McQueen by Seán McGirr (available at alexandermcqueen.com)

(Image credit: Photography by Nicole Maria Winkler, fashion by Jason Hughes)

Model Kelly Mittendorf wears A/W 2024 womenswear collections

Jacket, price on request, by Duran Lantink (enquire at instagram.com/duranlantinkyo)

(Image credit: Photography by Nicole Maria Winkler, fashion by Jason Hughes)

Model Kelly Mittendorf wears A/W 2024 womenswear collections

Bag, £3,510, by Gucci (enquire at gucci.com)

(Image credit: Photography by Nicole Maria Winkler, fashion by Jason Hughes)

Model Kelly Mittendorf wears A/W 2024 womenswear collections

Coat, price on request, by Jil Sander by Lucie and Luke Meier (enquire at jilsander.com). Shoes, £930, by McQueen by Seán McGirr (available at alexandermcqueen.com)

(Image credit: Photography by Nicole Maria Winkler, fashion by Jason Hughes)

Model Kelly Mittendorf wears A/W 2024 womenswear collections

Coat, £740, by Rabanne (enquire at fashion.rabanne.com). Shoes, £930, by McQueen by Seán McGirr (available at alexandermcqueen.com)

(Image credit: Photography by Nicole Maria Winkler, fashion by Jason Hughes)

Model Kelly Mittendorf wears A/W 2024 womenswear collections

Coat, price on request, by Celine by Hedi Slimane (enquire at celine.com)

(Image credit: Photography by Nicole Maria Winkler, fashion by Jason Hughes)

Model: Kelly Mittendorf at Elite London. Casting: Ikki Casting at WSM. Set design: Kim Harding. Hair: Yumi Nakada-Dingle using Bumble and Bumble. Make-up: Sunao Takahashi from Saint Luke using Byredo. Manicure: Jessica Ciesco at Snow Creatives using Nailberry. Photography assistant: Tom Porter. Set design assistant: Lucy Ann Fraser. Fashion assistant: Lucy Proctor Production assistant: Ady Huq. Digi tech: Anna-Sophia John.

This article appears in the September 2024 issue of Wallpaper*, available in print on newsstands, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.


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