How to Style Deconstruction With Luna Baba, El West and Renata Kats

What does the term “deconstruction” mean in fashion? Essentially, it’s a chopped-and-screwed philosophy that throws out the rulebook on how clothes are traditionally made, challenging the laws of garment construction at a fundamental level. Sparking magic in the collections of Rei Kawakubo in the ’80s, Martin Margiela in the ’90s and Virgil Abloh in the 2010s, key hallmarks include unfinished seams, intentional distressing and logic-defying shapes.

Deconstruction hasn’t gone away since it emerged over 40 years ago, but its presence feels more acute in 2024 than in previous years, manifesting on the runways of established houses such as Balenciaga and Miu Miu to burgeoning labels like Ottolinger and Y/Project. To understand how to apply pieces from the movement practically within existing wardrobes, we asked three creative forces from around the world to put their unique spin on its subversive codes: Los Angeles-based photographer and image director El West; Paris-based artist Renata Kats; and swimwear designer, Luna Baba.