There was a sacred and ethereal element to Alexandra O’Neill’s fall 2024 collection. Inspired by a trip to Venice where she visited local churches, she incorporated immaculate and sacred heart motifs into pieces, a change from the usual. “I started getting sick of floras,” said O’Neill. “I never thought I would ever say that. But we really have a lot of painterly, geometric prints and embroideries.” This inclusion also acted as a strategic business move for the designer, as it offers a wider variety for customers who might be new to the world of eveningwear.
Not only were there new prints, but O’Neill also incorporated new styles into her collection including a set that included a structured peplum jacket that paired with satin pants and felt like a more casual approach to eveningwear. Other new styles included the Gwendolyn gown, with metallic floral top, paired with a dramatic mermaid bottom. And while the gown may have looked impossible to sit in from afar, thanks to O’Neill’s publicist who asked the model to test it, we can confirm that you can comfortably recline and get back to the party these pieces.
Although Markarian isn’t typically associated with simple black dresses, O’Neill made sure to incorporate a few for those who want a more minimal look. A bias-cut gown looked like your simple black dress from the front, but from the back had a cascading train paired with an exaggerated bow making for a great “look twice” moment.