With gigantic white coral reefs, shells, sear horses and star fishes, Karl Lagerfeld imagined _as many designers this season_ an underwater world of fantasies for Chanel’s SS12. But this being the man responsible for giving this legendary french maison a fresh and young look each season, this was no regular under the sea theme interpretation. The literality of it all remained just on the magnificent set at the Grand Palais. Ok, and maybe on the shell shaped handbags and low heels of silver boots. But the main focus on this collection was to give a couture touch to simple, every day clothes. As the SS12 season came to an end, it was evident that a witty simplicity was the word of other for some of the most influential and sensible designers, and for Karl it was no different. Although some of the looks had too much going on, maybe in trying to reference the see creatures, it was when a simple dresses was cut to the most simple, yet alluring, silhouette that the collection gain forced. Or when a drop waist full skirts came paired with an almost slouchy pullover in creamy white, with just a black line doing the decoration, or even when the classic tailleur had its back cut out in an almost modernist way revealing what appeared to be a pearl spinal cord.
The thing with summer clothes _as in those imagined to be worn in hot days when all you just as this we are experiencing in Paris_ is that they must be the easiest garment you have in your closet. This said, it is easy to understand why the roomy pants and loose silk pajama tops Stella McCartney showed today are meant to be such a hit. They were everything the audience wanted to survive this Indian Summer. Plus, their were fun and all done with a witty sport edge and some fine tailoring. Actually, sports played a bit role in this collection, maybe because the designer is set to be the official designer of the British commission at London’s 2012 Olympic Games. Thus, the huge amount of mesh that first came hidden under her signature men’s tailoring, but soon taking over the whole outfit. There were sexy asymmetrical dresses with its hems embellished with neo-baroque lace and embroidering resulting in a fine contrasting to the dynamic sporty edge of this collection. In a second moment, men’s tie prints were maximized in silk pajama looks, but cut upon tailoring precision. Here too, the mesh fabrics appear, playing along with the tiny motifs. And then, for the finale, the two parts came together in some sexy looks, that were a nice continuation from last season successful doted outfits. This wasn’t a groundbreaking or stunning collection from Mrs. McCartney, but her singular voice and the way she managed to re-worked traditional code of femininity and dynamic sports gear, sure deservers some attention,
It wasn’t mermaids, as everybody was saying after yesterday terrific Givenchy’s show, filled with model whose first name dispense the last one _Natalia, Karolina and Gisele.. They were more like hybrid creatures from under the sea, with a sharp edged sensuality, that sometimes felt almost as aggressive as a starving white shark. For SS12 Riccardo Tisci looked, as many designers this season, for some under water inspiration _as if forthseeing that all we wanted here in Paris was to dive in a refreshing pool. But where as those many have stuck to fishes and coral reefs prints, the references where played subtly here, almost in an allusive way. It was through shape and texture (hence the eel and wolf fish skins) that the Italian designer referenced sea animals. There was a great focus on tailoring, now sharply cut, just as the big shark teeth that served as necklace. The silhouette was most of the time body hugging, but with some femininity touch _accentuating the hips and waits and without ever compromising or constricting the woman figure. Layers played an important role too, with some “streetness” and sporty edge attached to them. The overall effect was from simple clothes, given extra special treatment in cut, proportion, fit and materials, showing how consistently Riccardo Tisci is evolving as one of the most influent designer of our time.
A summer of clam and simplicity is probably how the next summer will be remembered. At least regarding this season’s collections here in Paris. At Hermès, Christophe Lemaire touched on those very principle, so in tune with the house codes, for his latest outing. In a elongated linear silhouette he featured loose dresses with graphical geometric cuts and patterns, his signature oriental tailoring, all in the house most expensive materials and craftsmanship. Oh, and there were also the scarf prints applied to shirts and dresses that suggest a great purity, both in its shapes and on their message and feel. Another interesting aspect of this second collection of Mr. Lemaire, is how global it seems. It’s simplicity and uncomplicated mix of different elements suggest that’s these clothes can be assimilated and worn by the richest consumers all over the world, regardless of their local costumes and weather.
We could sum up Haider Ackermann’s message at his SS12 collection by just looking at the models feet. Instead of high heels or any complex looking shoes, there were simple flat men’s brogue-like models, but with their back removed so they resemble a mule. This season the designer wanted things a bit more grounded, but no without a good dose of poetic and sensual emotion to it _after all, this is still an Ackermann’s collection. The slow passed show stared with a series of jewel tone suits, with voluminous drop crotched trousers and mannish blazers strictly cut. The men’s wear tailor is familiar territory here, but this time around it was key to bringing a somewhat toned down and possible feel to the collection, complete with its dandyish, slightly Ziggy Stardust discrete references. It strictness in cut and structure continued almost through the whole presentation, contrasting to the more languid and draped outings that were to follow. There were blouses and full skirt in liquid lamé, loose silk blouses and some hooded sporty vest made sophisticated in chiffon, there were both contemporary and reminiscent of some ancient culture. There was also a greater focus on separates, which made this collection even more approachable form the customer point of view. If in the past Mr. Ackermann lacked a sense of real possibility in this clothes _in the sense we couldn’t really think of a real woman in his clothes_ now the designer is starting the aimed directly in potential customers _and without loosing the creative emotional part he is so amazing at.
Femininity in its various forms has dominated the runway this season. But it would be somehow diminishing to categorize Phoebe Philo’s latest collection for Céline in that way. She seems to approach her work more from a womanhood point of view, showing great understating and knowledge about women’s desire and necessities. We are talking about the woman who propelled fashion’s current obsession with streamlined clothes and this whole witty simplicity that got designers around the world focusing on real woman and not mere runways simulacrums.
For SS12 Philo moved on from last’s season strict lines, this time concentrating on proportions. Her aim was to enhance a woman’s body not thru tight body con pieces, but with extremely elegant clothes that gave room for comfort and movement. That was mainly translated in the key look composed by super wide trousers with more rigid voluminous jackets. As a matter of fact, those very trousers are sure to be a hit for this season all together with the knife pleated skirts that seemed to be hanging from the hips in the most sophisticated relaxed way. Regarding the jackets, they came in bonded fabrics, with less movement than the bottom parts, and also with some military references played light, thanks to focus on the women figure _the accentuated waist and the attention to the hips with the many peplums. There were also some great tops with their back pleated and brocade not so wide pants. There was also a great objectiveness in how the designer approached shapes and fabrics this season, making sure that her outfits gained the maximum practicality possible, and also dra. Maybe that’s why she concentrated in separates and not just dresses. And although not breaking any fashion boundaries, nor showing great creative input, the rigor in cut, the complex constructions, all given a streamlined treatment, suggested that these clothes are not only to be admired on the runway or on photos. These are clothes to be experienced and felt on the body, clothes so refined and well crafted that they are to be carried along for life and not just for a mere ephemeral season.
Strict lightness. That’s probably the best way to describe Alber Elbaz’s amazing collection for Lanvin this season. By now it has become clear that simplicity _but not without some wit_ is the way to SS12. This became extremely clear _and personal_ as the designer moved on from the drapes and frills that he made a signature at the house, and focused on some tight looking dresses and sport edged tailoring, with slit seams sensually exposing some skin. The starting point was a tracksuit, responsible for the fresh looking silhouettes of the slightly slouchy trousers with a lower waits, somewhat loose shirts, empowered by 40’s like shoulder pads. What brought them back to present time was the clean lines that Elbaz drew in this collections and his incredible ability to mix different looking (natural and industrial) fabrics. Contrasting with all the lightness, there were some neoprene like structured pieces, but also weightless. Sometimes the same outfit features a soft and hard aspect, which made them all even more modern. Responding to all women’s desire for this season, there were some shear pleated dresses with visible underwear and a sudden wild moment where prints or crystal embroidered snakes took over, but soon giving way to super light modern goddess dresses.
Just as in the Dior show, designer Bill Gayten showed great respect and knowledge for John Galliano’s work and style. For the Galliano brand, Gaytten played on the whole femininity issue that’s going to be one of the strongest style for next summer. But, with some witt and irony he too, just as Viktor & Rolf, though from a different perspective, twisted some of the girly codes of what defines a feminine look. There were lots of frills, pleats, drapes and some laces too, done in romantic way, full high wais skirts and delicate bias cut dresses. The color palette was dominated by washed tones. But there was also something extremely sexualized about the way the revealed the body through sheer layers of fabric or how they fit sensually its curve. The childish feel of the Mary Poppins’ look, made also a good take on this season’s sweet innocence, but with some subversion played subtly.
Lean and graphical was the way Clare Waight Keller made her debut at the helm of Chloé. The british desginer, who succeed Hannah MacGibbon, played with pleats and an uncomplicated elongated silhouette that brought something of that 20’s modernity to mind. Mainly because, one of the main elements of Mrs. Keller first collection for the house was a desirable dropped waist, that left pleated light skirts hanging loose on the hips. The same effect was seen also at Céline the previous day, but here it had a more youthful, uncompromised feel. Maybe because, whereas Phoebe Philo concentrate on womanhood, Keller focused on pure femininity. The translation to all that came in the most light fabrics, most of them pleated, and some texturized details in knit (a skill this designer is a master at). But, in a season dominated by separates, there were a great lack of tailoring and more practical objective pieces in this show. Although the Chloé woman as always had a thing for all things feminine, she also liked so wit borrowed from the men’s wardrobe, just as seen on the few wide legged trousers. Perhaps, that’s something Mrs. Keller might be working on for her next season at the house. After all, this was a nice start.
The disasters and crisis that followed March 2011 in Japan has left some marks in the creative minds of those designers who call that country home. Following the footsteps of his mentor Dai Fujiwara _who left Issey Miyake’s creative direction after last season_ designer Yoshiyuki Miyamae is now the one responsible for taking over the brand, that once revolutionized fashion. His starting point was to make clothes that would relate somehow to the needs and feelings of those suffering from after mass in his home country. Metaphorically, he developed a collection about the softness and strength of a flower when it blooms. Hence the headpiece that opened the show, or the colored hairs that followed. And from the first look one could already sense some changes on the way _a younger and fresher attitude as well. With the same freshness of a new bloom, the SS12 collection started with some good takes on tailoring. Blazers were cropped and adjusted to a petit female body, sometimes with seams cut open just to reveal a shirtsleeve with the famous Miyake’s pleats. Trousers were given a sporty feel, something that moved on to the rest of the show. As the collection evolved there were a greater focus on light pieces, sometimes with a great deal of transparency. Graphical color inserts played as if prints, and circular cutouts in leggings or body suits enhanced that sport gears appearance. The best was when those pieces came together with more sophisticated ones, always with lightness and dynamics attached to.
There was definitely a new attitude at Kenzo this season. And those who were arriving could already feel it way before the show. Right on the entrance of the brand’s HQ at Rue Vivienne, there were models weaving at the window’s welcoming the fashion pack to what was to become one of the funniest presentation here in Paris. The mood has that of a party crowded with cool people (actor Jason Schwartzman and Spike Jonze included). Once the show finally began, all the fun was transported up to the runway and into the SS12 clothes Humberto Leon and Carol Lim (the founders of Opening Ceremony) presented on their first collection for the house of Kenzo. Beyond the freshness and youth that those 70’s inspired (though not really nostalgic or retro in any way) clothes, one could also sense a completely new approach toward making fashion for a historical house (and not only focusing on clothes). To begin with, the duo did not chose to focus exclusively on re-editing the archives. Instead, the concentrated on re-shaping the upbeat attitude Kenzo had in mid 70’s, when he revolutionized Paris. And it sure worked. There were the famous prints, the strength of vivid color, and more interesting of all here, the play with proportions. This season the retailers turned designers made everything extra wide and voluminous. And not only high waist trousers, but tops and jackets (those sometimes a bit structured) also came somewhat oversized. The effect on the body was super cool and totally fresh, injecting a sporty and street edge to the house of Kenzo and making this collection already one of the hits of next summer.
SS12 has been a rather feminine season, with all sweet and delicate aspect of it all. But give it to Viktor & Rolf to spin all this girlishness around with a good dose and humor and irony. The show opened with French singing duo Brigitte over two stories high skirts, from which the models came from after the pleats opened. They were wearing sweet colored dresses with all sorts of pleats, drapes, frills and cutouts exaggerated as if they picked a Barbie clothes and blown its proportion to real life size. As a matter of fact, dolls are no new theme for the Dutch design team, but this time, while the clothes were a bit superficial in its meaning, it had a nice take on this current feminine theme.
Whoever thought fashion had no connection to whatever happens outside its limelight world, might have to start reconsidering. On a sunny Saturday morning that had the nocturnal fashion pack out bad at 9:30, Japanese designer Junya Watanabe provoked some deep thoughts about how the disasters in Japan this year has affect not only fashion and his creative process, but the lives of thousands of people. Just as the recent act in favor of the reduction of energy usage in his native country, the light at the show was kept to a minimum (not to say almost total darkness). Then, as the show began, Watanabe, once know for his punk-street take on fashion, sent out extremely delicate lace dresses with flower patterns, mostly in dark shades with punctual bright hues. Their shape was loose and simple like T-Shirt-dresses at first, and then cropped leather jackets with layers of petal like tulle added a bit of volume to the silhouette. By that time tulle was becoming a key element to the collection wrapping the lace tops or inflating below the knee skirts. The general feeling was of the beauty of nature (or showing some respect to it). It also triggered some thoughts of its delicate balance its and its power to flourish life even after the severest mess.
Not that it changed my mind, but visiting the Mugler’s showroom sure helped me find some sense in the collection creative director Nicola Formichetti and designer Sébastien Peigné presented on wednesday 28th here in Pairs. As you all must have heard by now, the show opened with a completely unnecessary Lady Gaga video and soon after an army of sexy creatures took over as if coming from futurist dunes in their almost all beige outfits. There were super tight pants, sometimes with straps hanging from the ankles, sliced up asymmetrical tops and Mugler’s sharp powerful tailoring. But once the last model left the runway, there was not much left to say about the clothes and the whole collection. I other words, there was a emptiness or shallowness of message. All the strong and relevant connections to pop and digital culture Formichetti introduced last season was now gone, or somewhat artificial in the forceful exploration of Gaga’s image, as if the brand was dependent on that.
The true is that both, Mr. Peigné and Mr. Formichetti, are way better than that. and getting a closer look at the clothes, fully proves that. As in this season there were great concentration going on on the finishing and constructions of the clothes. Exploring highly sophisticated fabrics, the main focus was on creating complex constructions, but simple looking clothes that fit anatomically on the female body. If it was a but difficult to spot during the shows, there were a great amount of separates, just in the resort collection. but this time, with more power input. A power that doesn’t come from constricting the body or building upon it, but rather defining it’s forms and silhouette. And maybe, that was the problem. The amazing and intense focus on technique wasn’t linked to the whole concept of digital and pop culture Formichetti explores so well, nor it had all the sparkle and impact on the runway. Perhaps this is a collection entirely dedicated for those part goers who will experience the power that comes when wearing this clothes.
Was this Rei Kawakubo’s response to all the weddings that happened this summer? Her SS12 collection, called “White Drama”, was a spectacular take on marriage and all its interpretations. The first look said it all: a 60’s-like dress, complete with white boots, but with the models hands tied by a satin ribbon. But for all of those who remained doubtful there were the cage dresses, and well, the message couldn’t get clear than that. The bindings and restriction of marriage, the sacrifices one make for mutual happiness, the pressure and impositions of tradition, all that was translated in beautifully and amazingly crafted wedding gowns, that feature all the signatures styles of Comme des Garçons. Hands always hidden under extra-long sleeves or tied by ribbons. Heads almost always covered, sometimes as if blinding or blurring the models vision, and extremely delicate couture fabrics and elements were given a certain strictness or strength.
