Style Edit: Sportmax delves into 1980s aesthetics for its AW24 collection – Camera Obscura pays tribute to powerful women with a new elongated silhouette and a fresh take on the ‘Buffalo’ style

Mar 4 , 2024

Italian brand Sportmax’s autumn/winter 2024 collection Camera Obscura features a series of looks that pay tribute to the “femme fatale” of the 1980s. Photos: Sportsmax

The 1980s may have been the most hedonistic era in fashion, but Italian brand Sportmax delves into the darker, more sensual side of the decade with its autumn/winter 2024 collection.

A model strides down the runway wearing Sportmax’s latest pieces from its autumn/winter 2024 collection

The collection’s name Camera Obscura also happens to be the title of the last album by German singer and Velvet Underground vocalist Nico, hinting at what’s to come. Her magnetic style – she also happens to be the subject and inspiration for Lou Reed’s hit song “Femme Fatale” – is the starting point for a series of looks that pay tribute to the mystery and enigma embodied by Nico herself as well as other music icons of the 1980s.

Tailored blazers and obi belts feature in the Camera Obscura collection

Charismatic and powerful female artists such as Grace Jones, Debbie Harry, Annie Lennox and Siouxsie Sioux are celebrated with album covers inspired prints which adorn a series of shirts, dresses, jackets and knits.

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The signature 1980s silhouette – think sculpted shoulders, body-conscious dresses and belted waists – are updated for the modern woman with a new elongated silhouette, plenty of layering and contrasting textures. Oversized outerwear, tailored blazers, obis and corset-like belts, boleros, ultra-slim coats and knitted mini capes also bring the waistline into focus.

Corset-like belts put the spotlight on the waist

There’s a whiff of Helmut Newton in the dark and sexy bustier-style dresses and jackets that showcase the art of corsetry alongside sophisticated geometric cuts, padding and crinolines. The curves of the body are highlighted without revealing too much.

Many looks exemplify the glam of the 1980s

The glamorous side of the 1980s can be felt in the bold pleats, lurex fringes and layered transparent embellishments.

Patent finishes can be seen in Sportmax’s autumn/winter 2024 collection

Sportmax’s fresh take on the cross-cultural “Buffalo” style that dominated much of the decade also adds a sporty edge to the collection. Boxing shorts in technical fabric or black leather are worn with matching shirts, while culotte shorts or curved leg trousers are paired with shirts accessorised with patent leather cowboy-style neckties.

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Models toting Sportmax’s patent leather structured bucket bags

Hi-tech fabrics, patent finishes, vinyl leather and PVC details meld perfectly with a Blade Runner-inspired palette – think hyperreal colours of black, grey mélange and navy blue, with dashes of red, royal blue, white and nude.

Rounding off the collection are accessories with a softer side. Round-toe Mary Janes and classic cowboy boots are matched with patent leather structured bucket bags to round off this homage to powerful women.

Style Edit

Sportmax’s 1980s-inspired AW24 collection’s name Camera Obscura happens to be the title of the last album by Velvet Underground vocalist Nico, who was the subject of Lou Reed’s hit song ‘Femme Fatale’
Tailored blazers, corset-like belts and bustier-style dresses bring the waistline into focus while hi-tech fabrics, patent finishes, vinyl leather and PVC details evoke sci-fi film Blade Runner