The story goes that the explorer Alfred Isaac Middleton went in search of the famed lost city of Dawleetoo and was promptly never seen again. Inspired by AI generated images of Middleton and the alleged lost city, Walter Van Beirendonck’s latest collection envisioned Dawleetoo through clothing, through taffeta and latex and plastic. So, basically, it was a show that was inspired by a fake story and images that aren’t even real. Oh, we are deep in Walter territory now.

Creating his own alien language, somewhat reminiscent of the symbols you’d see at old Incan ruins, Van Beirendonck covered shirts, jackets and trousers in the symbols, in bold reds and whites that clatter and clash. Further in the collection, we moved onto long, soft coats with huge pointed shoulders, perhaps the uniform of the speakers of Van Beirendonck’s new language.

The collection then transitioned into garish blacks and yellows, a classic Van Beirendonck clash, but here envisioned on floor-length kaftans and skin-tight cycle jerseys. Naturally, a full body suit styled to look like a crash test dummy pelted along the runway.

The show ended with the models coming back out, covered in Laura Palmer-esque plastic body bags with skeletons spray painted onto them. Because, honestly, why not!?