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Backstage at FILIPE CEREJO SS24 at ModaLisboa à la carte

Presenting men's fashion with new waves

Filipe Cerejo emerges with a distinct vision. His latest collection, “Symposium”, draws inspiration from the beauty captured in Helbig Konrad’s book Ragazzi. It melds elements of existentialist attire with classic tailoring and knits, using meticulously crafted silk threads to create minimalist silhouettes. Transparency becomes a design element, revealing a provocative facet and nurturing a conscious and introspective narrative.

Photos Thomas Probosch

Beauty Antonia Rosa and team using Clarins

Hair GriffeHairstyle team using L’Orèal Profissional Paris

Filipe Cerejo collection is sponsored by NOTETESSILI and PECCI Filati

Supported by Seaside

Words Kelly Bernardo

Filipe Cerejo, originally from Porto, is a rising talent in the portuguese fashion industry. He pursued his fashion education in London at Middlesex University, graduating in 2021. After gaining recognition for his final year collection at the British Fashion Council and ShowStudio, he honed his skills as a Menswear Designer at ASOS. Filipe’s creative journey continued, leading him to win the Polimoda award at the ModaLisboa Sangue Novo competition in March 2022, granting him the opportunity to enroll in the Master’s program in Collection Design at The Fashion School in Florence. His approach to clothing design goes beyond aesthetics, aiming to evoke emotions, sophistication, and individuality, offering a fresh perspective on men’s fashion.

The “Symposium” collection takes inspiration from German photographer Helbig Konrad’s book “Ragazzi,” which is highlighting youthful, male beauty. Like Herb Ritts and Bruce Weber who both have been inspired by the work of Konrad (1917-1986), he shared a passion for emphasizing the male form and its aesthetics, celebrating the physicality and grace of young men. Fascinated by the beauty of male youth, Helbig photographed “ragazzi”, mostly fishermen’s boys and light sailors from the coastal villages of Sicily. He often showed them in their natural surroundings and clothing; but also staged them on the beach undressed resembling ancient Greek aesthetics. The emphasis lies on conveying depth to male beauty through the viewing of human anatomy – graceful movement and muscle tension.

(…) my “Symposium” collection consists not only of a concept of portraying youth masculine beauty but also to follow this narrative and to evoke emotions and tickle senses. Our materials are dryer on the touch so I decided to use paper and rafia to produce artisanally hats, bags and tops, which go balanced with the knitwear pieces made out of raw silk yarn, sourced in Italy. When someone dresses my clothes, I want them to have a sensorial experience through all the senses,

Filipe explains.

Filipe’s exploration resulted in a captivating collection that seamlessly blends elements of existentialist attire, classic tailoring, and knits. Silk threads, painstakingly woven, lend minimal silhouettes a sense of depth, creating a cohesive whole. This collection intentionally embraces transparency, revealing its provocative facets and fostering an introspective narrative.

On the runway, models sport minimal makeup, evoking the essence of individuals fresh from Italian beaches, appearing untouched, with garments clinging to their skin, echoing an old-world charm. The collection also features voluminous shapes, hoody-like shirts and generously sized pants, along with an oversized trench coat, offering a modern interpretation of male beauty and fashion.