Take, for example, the sequined, ankle-grazing red dress, which looks as though it’s standing underneath a lone palm tree’s shadow. Or the one-shouldered, ribbed dress that clutches the body at just the right places, in just the right way. Or the ribbed-knit separates in creams, olives, and pinks. They’re all joyous, ready for a day in the sun. But to better understand designer Johannes Boehl Cronau’s mindset when creating the collection — thoughtfully displayed at a launch event hosted by H.Lorenzo — and to put it into broader context, you have to turn your attention to a particularly eloquent quote by writer and philosopher Albert Camus.

“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer,” Johannes read to me during our first meeting. “And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger — something better, pushing right back.” 

“It’s something that came out of a time after the pandemic — just sheer exhaustion of really battling this industry a tiny bit and being very tired,” said the German designer, who launched his brand just before the pandemic sent the industry into a tailspin. Those were challenging times for any business, let alone an emerging brand trying to make a name for itself. “It’s kind of where you feel, like, when you’re […] emotionally at your lowest, that you have the people, or sometimes yourself, to keep going.”

Despite all the challenges, the brand was an early hit with the celebrity crowd, especially Kylie Jenner, who calls herself a fan and has sported several of Ioannes’ figure-hugging designs. (In fact, Kylie just announced her clothing line Khy’s new collaboration with Ioannes.) It also caught the attention of stores like H.Lorenzo — a multi-label fashion retailer in Los Angeles. Since the opening of its first boutique in 1984, H.Lorenzo has been giving one-of-a-kind, avant-garde global labels a platform and supporting emerging talents through events and installations. 

Case in point: Tonight’s event, which was dreamed up by H.Lorenzo to fete the arrival of Ioannes’ fall-winter 2024 collection to its stores. First, we’re treated to a preview of the pieces inside a studio space at The West Hollywood Edition — a sexy, high-design hotel complex which sits on Sunset Boulevard, one of the most storied stretches of Los Angeles. Wait staff pass around trays of cocktails as I peruse the pieces, which feel like a mood-lifting gust of fresh air. 

I’ve always admired Johannes’ penchant for prints and unique approach to garment-making. A Central Saint Martins graduate, Johannes traces those techniques back to his formative years. Growing up in the German countryside, he was always involved in the family’s carpentry business, which taught him the value of handiwork early on. “I think there’s always the idea of the manual touch, or the artistic touch, that’s important to me,” he told me. “There are traces of the process [in the work]. For instance, a lot of our dresses, especially, are printed after they’ve been assembled or stitched. So, every garment will have its little, not mistakes, but marks, that we try to maintain.” 

And just like every garment tells its own creation story and every collection a particular narrative, the event itself unfolds with a specific purpose. It’s about creating “an environment which we envision the collection to live in,” Johannes mentioned. This means seeing some of Ioannes’ greatest hits on guests as they go about the day’s events — from pool party to dinner.

Upstairs at the aforementioned rooftop pool party, guests sip on light-and-bright cocktails, dressed in Ioannes’ slinky slips and knit dresses silhouetted against the city’s skyline. It’s a gorgeous summer afternoon, and everyone’s basking in the sunshine and the occasional sauntering breeze. (Really, the collection release couldn’t be more well-timed.) After enjoying the most golden of golden hours and the unce-unce-unce of the DJ — artist Victoria Moura — spinning by the pool, we head downstairs to the ground-floor restaurant for a late dinner.

The dimly lit, greenery-filled set-up evokes an organic mood. Diverse tangles of blooms and stems come together in artful arrangements, creating a well-styled tablescape. Grilled skirt steak is served alongside plates of raw cauliflower cacio e pepe, pillowy milk bread, branzino buried under heaps of shaved fennel, and sweet potato doused in rich curry sauce. The oohing and ahhing is ubiquitous. 

As guests pass dishes around the table, it’s interesting to see how their styling of Ioannes’ pieces have changed from morning to evening, over the course of a single day. Cozy hoodies are thrown on top of leg-baring minidresses, with slivers of fabric still peeking from underneath. Sweaters are added to swimwear. Knit cardigans and blazers are worn over floor-skimming maxis. “These unintentional summer looks, for me, are the best,” Johannes told me.

Whether it’s because of all this time in the sun or the expertly prepared meals, everyone is beaming ear to ear. It’s a blissful return for Johannes, whose last visit to Los Angeles was almost 19 years ago (he studied in Pasadena as part of an exchange program). “After the pandemic, we didn’t put on a show; we haven’t had an event,” Johannes told me. “So this [day], which is really more of a community event, is really about meeting the people. And it’s also for us — and me — to finally have a party.”