Luar Ponders Heaven, Resulting in a Rave-Ready Wardrobe for Spring 2024

Raul Lopez has been thinking about heaven lately — not in tandem with death, per se, but more as it relates to religion and its heavy gauntlet aimed at historically excluded identities, like queer folks.

Luar’s latest collection is titled “Socorro” after his mother, its Spanish meaning (“help”) and a song Lopez heard on the trip to the Dominican Republic (where his family is from) that inspired his Spring 2024 collection. Show notes begin by painting a scene of Lopez, driving his Volvo truck and seeing a sermon to his left and “hedonism” to his right. After contemplation, he finds that, “church is wherever you can find heaven.”

It’s an “allusion to the fact that ‘heaven’ is indeed subjective. People drinking, doing drugs, hips sensually winding to the music in risqué outfits,” the show notes continue. “Both sides…. are looking for the same thing but in different places, forms and feelings. We’re all looking to be saved, but what does that really mean?”

Luar’s Spring 2024 collection seeks to answer that question with a wardrobe that challenges the status quo. Drawstring shorts usually used for lounging are luxuriously trimmed with brown fur. What appears to be grey terry cloth is elevated to a gown with bubble hems. Some looks lean more rave-ready and were made to “tease and tantalize,” according to the brand. Think: pleated skirts cut short to reveal Luar-branded stockings below, or a bandeau bra clasped together in the center with Luar’s “L” logo welded in silver. Other looks incorporate suiting via iterations of Luar’s branded ties, button-up shirts and blazers.

Perhaps the standout piece from the collection is the draped tank top that attaches to sunglasses, ultimately obscuring the face even more than Luar’s huge statement shades. The collection misses no opportunity to add drama. Rhinestone pavé cuffs at the wrist or upper arm add a tinge of glamour to monochromatic looks. Gowns feature cutouts that reveal the upper leg, then a slouchy train. Still, aesthetics familiar to Luar remain, like shoulder pads that exaggerate the silhouette, oversized leather garments, statement sunglasses and tailored suiting with a flair. 

Fundamentally, Spring 2024 is about duality: the left or the right version of heaven. Adding another layer, the collection explores Lopez’s feeling of being “pulled back,” per his show notes, “as he ascends in the industry but remains ever tethered to his roots,” though the New York native does not explain further. He illustrates this sentiment with robust, dimensional collars on shirts that stretch far back, as if “being chained to something.”

“Ultimately, the saviors we’re looking for not only walk amongst us, but we are them,” the show notes conclude. In other words, heaven is not just for someone who finds serenity in a sermon but also for the nightcrawler — it’s for everyone.

The runway, staged in Brooklyn, featured a ring of speakers at the center reminiscent of the handle of the brand’s viral Ana bag. Smoke filled the air as strobe lights flashed on and off during each model’s runway walk. The ambiance provided a taste of what was to come at the afterparty, where Lopez brought his idea of heaven to his most loyal customers and supporters.

Keep scrolling to see every look from Luar’s Spring 2024 collection.

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