Bruno Sialelli

It’s Bruno Sialelli‘s second season at Lanvin. And it’s really not the easiest maison to design for, especially after the so idiosyncratic Alber Elbaz era and the last couple of turbulent years related to the label’s ownership and direction. And add up to all this Jeanne Lanvin, the founder of the brand, who left behind a vast archive. Before Lanvin, Sialelli was one of the designers at Jonathan Anderson’s Loewe. His debut collection was mildly received (quite wrongly – the new arrivals coming to Lanvin’s e-shop are gorgeous, take a look!), because the designer still had the Loewe mentality, soft for artistically random, crafty details. This hasn’t changed for spring-summer 2020. Not only the weather wasn’t in favour of Sialelli’s line-up, but also the lack of edit. A bit of tailoring, a bit of flou. A print inspired by comic stories, multi-coloured checks, more comics. Some unflattering leather-works that were put over frocks and skirts. The mini-dresses in the finale were absolutely whatever. The strongest point of the collection was the pleated, fluoroscent blue gown that felt every, very Jeanne Lanvin. This is a good path to follow. I bet the details of this collection were great as well, but they are just too small to catch for a runway show. While an eclectic, “curated” look works at Loewe, Lanvin needs something different. Big hopes Bruno finds it sooner or later.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Since 2015, Lanvin had a very harsh time. After Alber Elbaz abruptly parted ways with the company, Lanvin went from hands to hands, and it took too many wrong, creative (and marketing) directions. After a number of designers who either didn’t understand what Lanvin should stand for today or were, simply speaking, terrorized by the impatient investors, the historical label seemed to drown deeper and deeper with every season. In all possible aspects. After such a period of mishandling, can a brand still be returned on a right track? Bruno Sialelli might be the last rescue, even though his debut collection felt more like Loewe (where he used to work at the design studio) than Lanvin. Breezy dresses and slouchy pants worn over skirts were printed with medieval motifs; men’s coats had some artisan detailing that felt very ethnic; bags were huge, the shoes were so Phoebe Philo’s Céline (just like the edgy styling that was very, very Célinist to be honest). What suggested it’s Lanvin? The new branding? The JL print (that stands for Jeanne Lanvin, the house’s founder) was all over the shirts, accessories and the runway’s carpet. Still, Bruno could use Lanvin’s archives to inform the collection, and even if he did, the message wasn’t clear enough. Hopefully, Sialelli’s second collection will speak more for itself. But he has a long path to go now.