FW23 caught Ludovic de Saint Sernin in reflection. Returning to the menswear schedule, where he began, the designer presented an intimate collection that toasted to the “journey travelled thus far.”

And it has been quite a journey: from establishing his eponymous label on the global stage, to his recent appointment at the helm of Ann Demeulemeester. But Ludovic takes us even further back, to his early teens in the mid-00s, “sat square-eyed before a television set watching FashionTV” – and later Project Runway. These fashion TV staples filled the designer’s FW23 moodboard, which was also informed by his new Antwerp-based role, and the city’s rich design history.

Blending his own soft codes with the “brooding severity” of Ann Demeulemeester, de Saint Sernin sent out looks grouped in sets of three: three tailored outfits crafted in black silk taffeta; three stretch leather looks including a miniskirt and Cleavage dress; and three graphite denim shirting combinations. And so on. Frayed skirts in ribbed pumice knit were repurposed from surplus stock, while pieces covered in the brand’s logo nodded to the logomania of the 00s.

As the collection went on, shapes, fabrics and silhouettes softened as transparent mesh tops studded with the crystal LdSS monogram walked alongside signature eyelet briefs, lace-fly jeans and fluffy detailing. Titled Private Show, this was a wink and a nudge in the right direction.