Future Sex. Paco Rabanne SS17

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Syntethic-white neck-pieces suggest an astronaut gear rather than a sexy French look. But Julien Dossena isn’t frightened to put FUTURE SEX on one of his spring-summer 2017 t-shirts for Paco Rabanne. Obsessed with sci-fi since his childhood, the designer consistently links out-of-this-world modernity with strange sex-appeal. In fact, two things Rabanne fused the best in the past. Today’s creative director smoothly draws inspirations from the brand’s archives, re-working iconic chainmail from the 60s into a relevant, light-weighted material for dresses, skirts and pants. But Dossena doesn’t rely on Paco’s signature only, as he’s comfortable with introducing his own, alien-lover tastes to the house codes. Hints of fuchsia peeked out from underneath the white lace dresses in form of chic tights; a black, leather mini-dress reminded us of Julien’s respect for timeless classics. Oh, and the studded flares: would Françoise Hardy take a pair of those in 2016? I know, a fantasy fashion collaboration. Still, highly anticipated.

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Feminist. Lemaire SS17

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Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran are a love couple. Simultaneously, they are two creative minds working under the same roof – Lemaire. It’s a pleasure to see how their designs for women evolve from season-to-season, and become quintessential in Parisian wardrobes. Really, along Phoebe Philo of Céline, they create clothes which define “feminist” to the fullest.

Feminist” in fashion, though, isn’t about t-shirts with slogans (which appeared during Maria Grazia Chiuri’s debut at Dior), but it’s a conversation between feminine silhouettes and masculine forms: there’s a soft, middle point in-between those two universes. Also, it’s a sense of individuality, and attitude. Christophe and Sarah-Linh understand that through nonconforming styling, one-of-a-kind accessories (take the wooden-bags) and even the statement show-closing, which involves models walk around the venue randomly, in a real-life motion. For spring-summer 2017, the designers proved they aren’t only masters of total-looks; they are geniuses in clothes-making. Crinkled dress worn over over-sized pants;  peculiar volume of cognac-brown coats; dancer’s tank-top, pleated skirt and knitted, dove-grey tights is the most sensual look of the season. If you ask me, I live for such fashion moments as this show.

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Big Return. Olivier Theyskens SS17

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Paris Fashion Week is the time of big debuts: Anthony Vaccarello at Saint Laurent and Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior to name the most significant ones. But also, it kicks off with a big return. Olivier Theyskens. The designer who placed little canaries on stilettos back in 2002; the man behind iconic heel-less shoes at Nina Ricci. Prince of avant-garde, who has been sorely missed, surprised everyone when he reappeared in the season’s schedule. However, his spring-summer 2017 collection is far from fuss: intimately presented to a group of 80 editors and fashion industry friends, there were 25 looks. Both numbers seem to be unrealistically small for a fashion show in 2016 – but sometimes, it’s the quality, not quantity, that matters.

Theyskens had an occasion to refresh everybody’s memory with his cult signatures. Python leather leggings and very high heels are still his favourites; blazers with sleekly corseted waists are pure romance; elusive transparency revealed a thing or two. And the all-black colour palette (with minor splashed of red and white). Leave sultry to Olivier, as his love for women’s body is reflected in those sharp mini-dresses and intriguingly cut skirts. To a certain extend, I see some similarities between Theyskens’ latest outing of noir ready-to-wear, and Azzedine Alaia’s chic-defining fashion shows. The mood of privacy, and a kind of luxurious modesty, radiates in work of these two legendary designers. Even though they come from totally different decades, their sophisticated, and somewhat dramatic elegance never goes out of fashion style.

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Empowering. Tom Ford AW16

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Fashion month kicks it off, and we’re all ready for the next marathon of womenswear. But surprisingly, New York Fashion Week starts with a first industry ‘paradox’. It’s September, and throughout the years we’ve got used to the fact that we start reflecting on the next summer wardrobe at the very beginning of the cold season. Tom Ford does the opposite, presenting autumn-winter 2016 collection, instead of spring-summer 2017 (which you will see a lot during the upcoming weeks). But he isn’t an exception – this new model of selling, so see-it-now and buy-it-now logic, is already in the process at Burberry or Thakoon. But why is Tom Ford, and the others, making it even more complicated, if we already have all those pre-collections and capsules? Well, in fact they want to make it all easier for us all, even though the transition moment is HARD.

Here’s why. Tom Ford presented his AW16 collection yesterday in the evening during a celebrity-filled dinner (Tom Hanks, Julianne Moore, Uma Thurman to name a few), and today, a majority of those clothes hit the on-line stores and boutiques world-wide. Looking behind-the-scenes, the international buyers ordered the collection months ago, Tom Ford factory had its time to produce the one-of-a-kind pieces, and the customers are really into buying those velvet skirts and sequined turtlenecks, because they feel so “relevant”. They just saw it on the internet and their heavily-Instagrammed feed. As easy as that – virtually, the sales boom. Logistically, everyone is appealed to this new deal, which will MAYBE slow down the pace of the industry.

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But Tom Ford’s newest collection isn’t a sensation just because of its new, business strategy. This glamorous outing of diverse models (featuring 90s stars like Amber Valletta and todays newcomers) wearing feminine silhouettes and gorgeous accessories, is one of Ford’s best for a long, long time. Belted corsets on seductive leather jackets and slim pencil skirts. Ornamental, gold necklaces contrasted with elegant, tweed dresses, while over-the-knee boots made the models look even taller and badass. Mica Arganaraz and Lineisy Monero walked down the runway in colourful fur coats; Grace Hartzel, in her all-black outfit, looked like a rock’n’roll chick with whom you can’t argue. It sounds like a collection oozing with sex-appeal, a typical thing for Tom’s past, provocative Gucci-era. But in fact, it was much more mature, and it celebrated this specific type of killer woman, who enters the room and makes people drop. Guys in velvet blazers and duvet jackets looked nothing but harmless next to those girls. Ford definitely has a toast to a very good start of the fashion month, and his brands’ future of the revolutionary retail model.

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Bye, Sonia

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Sonia Rykiel has passed away today in the morning, leaving the world of fashion cry.

Throughout her career, Rykiel was called ‘The Undisputed Queen of Knitwear‘, while her fashion – the quintessence of Parisian chic. Her thin jumpers left the neck uncluttered, giving French women comfort of ready-to-wear and a sense of freedom. Sonia’s timeless designs were expressed in every possible version of knitwear, from the warmest mohair to the softest jersey. During her first successes in the 60s, her brand’s tricot pieces absolutely differed from old, heavy silhouettes. Also, she created the myth of St. Germain girl – a Parisian femme, who lives on the Left Bank (very likely next to her first flagship store on Boulevard du St. Germain, opened back in 1968) and lives her effortless, care-free life. But most of all, Sonia Rykiel’s fashion was frivolous, feminine and relaxed, and it brought happiness to the clients and the industry. Her legacy still does.

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Current creative director of the house is Julie de Libran, who succeeds in continuing Sonia’s legacy. As for a little cheer-up – Libran’s furry tote from her recent autumn-winter 2016 collection. At least, we are sure that Rykiel’s label is in good hands.

But still, Sonia will be sorely missed.

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