David Koma’s pre-fall 2024 collection inspired by Truman Capote’s swans comes at an apt moment just as Ryan Murphy’s “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans” premieres on Jan. 31.
The Georgian-born designer flirted with the idea of extravagance and opulence in a sleek and sharp lineup that played with a few tropes: bows and feathers of a swan.
“I was not attached to any of the characters in particular,” said Koma in a preview interview, explaining that he came across an image of Marlene Dietrich wearing a swan dress designed by her longtime collaborator and costume designer Travis Banton to a Hollywood costume party in 1935 (Dietrich was not a Capote Swan, who were leading New York socialites in the ‘60s and ‘70s.)
Long black halterneck gowns featured crystalized trimmings; silk lace in red and white added a touch of softness to Koma’s sharp sexy designs; hand-drawn swan wings were embroidered on transparent tulle with reflective plexiglass and crystals; knotted bows tied the pieces together, figuratively and literally.
Sequins were woven into the monochrome tweed pieces to give them that extra sparkle.
“I really wanted to have this cinematic terminology and make it very, very feminine. There’s pure white, different shades of gray and baby powdery pink as a representation of their fiery and scandalous [life],” said Koma.
The designer’s past few collections have dotted the likes of Queen Elizabeth II, ancient Greek goddesses Aphrodite and Amphitrite, and Dietrich. The coincidence wasn’t a conscious one but a natural progression of ideas.
“All the ideas are close to each other and then once I was researching the royals I moved onto the most confident and graceful bird on Earth, the swan,” said Koma.