New Sensuality. Chloé AW18

March 4, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

The modernist architecture of Maison de la Radio anticipated Natacha Ramsay-Levi‘s contemporary sensuality that the designer implements at Chloé. In her second season for the house, Natacha’s vision becomes even clearer and understandable. Chloé is no longer a label with flowing dresses for running around the fields. It’s a brand for women of profession, culture, life. Vintage lace, tiers of goat hair and knitted ruffles were beautifully combined with earth tones and subtle cuts. Ramsay-Levi’s femininity, however, clashes with something slightly more heavy: think boots with metalwork heels or chain necklaces made of gold pendants, coins and keys. While Chloé seems to be the most realistic and powerful collection of this Paris fashion week up to now, note it’s not a Phoebe Philo clichéd tribute collection. It’s impressive to see, how Natacha builds her own, idiosyncratic language for the females of today.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Authentic. Lemaire AW18

March 3, 2018March 4, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

Something’s going on at Lemaire. It seems that the designer marriage, Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran, let some colour to their beautifully minimal, yet intimate, label. Curcuma, lemon, mustard, lilac – this is the bright, warm palette offered for autumn-winter 2018. But Lemaire wouldn’t be Lemaire without its cool sobriety. Dark brown jackets were styled with ecru skirts or black satin shirts. Loosely fitted, multi-segmented coats in dove grey or indigo made you think of a cold breeze rather than those lovely, autumn days. The volumes were as well different than usual – everything’s over-sized, very masculine. People say that Lemaire can become the new Céline. I disagree – I think that Lemaire is authentic, not trying to look like Phoebe Philo’s era fashion. It’s just the way it is, true to the designers’ style.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Spontaneous. Dries Van Noten AW18

March 2, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

The first days of Paris fashion week show that this season, the designers or choose to do commercial clothes, or lean on their well-known brand codes. Dries van Noten belongs to the latter, with his classically Dries-y collection. Backstage, he talked of ‘spontainety’ – about wearing the clothes nonchalantly, not caring much, feeling comfortable at the moment. Most unmatching colours and prints are clashed gracefully, while faux-fur inserts brings joyful dynamism to black knee-lenght dresses. The ‘peasant’ blouse looks like your next season’s day-to-day favourite. The outerwear is remarkable (as usual!). And I guarantee you that you won’t find better prints this season. In other words, it’s a very fine Dries Van Noten collection.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Legs Only. Saint Laurent AW18

March 2, 2018March 4, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

What was expected to be Paris fashion week’s hottest ticket (especially, noting the last season’s fashion galore under the Eiffel Tower) resulted in a… very boring collection. I actually thought that Anthony Vaccarello is the right man for Saint Laurent, until I saw that tedious line-up of extremely short shorts, velvet blazers and all-black (or floral) mini-dresses. Was it a Hedi Slimane ‘appreciation’ collection? Well, that kind of style still sells best and resonates most easily with the current client. It really feels as if the important guys behind Saint Laurent cut the budget this season, as well. Other than the models’ long, long legs, Vaccarello’s autumn-winter 2018 collection has nothing much to talk about.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Gold. Koché AW18

March 2, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

Christelle Kocher‘s autumn-winter 2018 collection felt the most mature up to date for the Paris-based label. It seems that Koché is slowly moving away from its street sensibility and targets a grown up customer with its brand new smokings, gold-pleated t-shirt-slash-dresses and extremely compelling eveningwear. Still, for those who don’t fully appreciate Koché’s new path, Christelle presented a number of camo-print blousons, jackets and sweatpants – eventually, that was the least exciting part of the collection. My heart beats faster for those lilac pieces, whether we’re speaking of the metallic, Helmut Lang-inspired pants or distorted knits.