Paris

Fashion Can Be Fun. Vaquera SS27

| Design & Culture by Ed

Imagine two enfants terribles crashing the atelier of Coco Chanel or Cristóbal Balenciaga, ripping apart chiffon dresses and splashing gowns in acidic green. That’s exactly what you got in Vaquera’s latest collection. Designers Bryn Taubensee and Patric DiCaprio keep delivering much-needed fun to Paris through their very New York way of doing things, reminding us that fashion can, indeed, be hilarious. And sometimes bigger than life. There was plenty of irony, too: the lady of the house decked out in grand feathers, her private chef in a tiny parachute dress and an enormous toque (was Ratatouille hiding inside?), and a maid in a flirty little apron. Honestly, fab.

All collages by Edward Kanarecki.

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Ghesquièrenaissance. Louis Vuitton SS27

| Design & Culture by Ed

It’s weirdly fascinating to see Nicolas Ghesquière return to minimalism – even if its lines are distinctly Belle Époque. His Louis Vuitton collection, closing Paris Fashion Week, ended up being one of my favorites of the season. The way he juxtaposed a very, very simple-looking camel-hued biker jacket with not-quite-slip dresses, or played with the breeziness of couture windbreakers, somehow made it all feel like a convincing wardrobe for today. It made me think warmly of his golden Balenciaga days. “Ergonomic” is the word that comes to mind, as well as “the impression of minimalism” – something Ghesquière has always been particularly good at playing with in the past. It’s very exciting to see the designer return with a line-up so urgent yet also light, which is always the most difficult thing to achieve. (Jonathan Anderson, for instance, failed to deliver that lightness at Dior this season.) Ghesquièrenaissance is upon us.

So Bad It’s Great. Valentino SS27

| Design & Culture by Ed

At first, I found Alessandro Michele’s latest Valentino collection so obnoxiously tacky that I was close to completely dismissing it. But then I went back to it. And again. And again. And I still can’t stop looking. I realised that, with all its va-va-voom, Michele is ferociously fighting the current status quo of fashion: the safer, the better. We are so indoctrinated with ideas of “good taste” that his collection feels like a much-needed danger – a slap on the wrist that shakes you up. The colours are gloriously pop and motley, the silhouettes delightfully old-school, and there’s something very, very enchanting about how profoundly un-modern this collection looks. In a fashion landscape obsessed with restraint, Michele is making a case for excess, awkwardness and sheer visual pleasure. It’s so bad, it’s great.

ED’s SELECTION:


Valentino Garavani Bow-detailed Gathered Satin-trimmed Wool-crepe Jacket



Valentino Garavani Printed Lace-trimmed Cotton T-shirt



Valentino Garavani Bowow 45 Bow-embellished Velvet Pumps



Valentino. A Grand Italian Epic by Taschen



Valentino Garavani Gold-tone, Crystal, Faux Pearl And Resin Earrings



Valentino Garavani Embellished Satin-trimmed Cropped Cotton-blend Velvet Peplum Top

All collages by Edward Kanarecki.

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School. Miu Miu SS27

| Design & Culture by Ed

A year ago, Miuccia Prada sent aprons down the Miu Miu runway – blue, floral, not unlike the ones worn by Bożena at my favourite greengrocer. As usual with Prada, her fascination with the supposedly mundane first caused confusion, then collective obsession. The apron became less a fashion statement than a political one. For spring-summer 2027, Prada takes us somewhere else entirely: from the market to the schoolyard. More specifically, the gym. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

ED’s SELECTION:


Miu Miu Leather Slingback Mules



Miu Miu Logo-Knit Silk Sock

Miu Miu Diagonal Rib Silk Skirt

Miu Miu Contrast-Striped Cotton-Blend Polo Shirt

Miu Miu Embellished Satin Slide Sandals

All collages by Edward Kanarecki.

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Boutique-ness. Courrèges SS27

| Design & Culture by Ed

I actually really liked Drew Henry’s debut at Courrèges. This is possibly one of the most difficult houses to make sense of in the 21st century. His predecessors either went blindly too space-age or focused solely on the vinyl jacket. Nicolas Di Felice seemed to have the vision, but I always thought the brand wouldn’t mind a little more warmth.

Henry, a Phoebe Philo alum, approached it with a certain boutique-ness, which is a rarity in Paris lately, where everything must be bigger and louder. It feels like something you would look for in a small shop somewhere in France, where the owner is named Françoise or Francine, has the best style in the world, and however hard you try, you will never dress like her (but you can try!).

There were very chic-looking colour-block jackets and pea coats in a 1960s cut that wasn’t too on-the-nose; an otherwise simple look of a black T-shirt and yellow pants sharpened with a pair of driving gloves; a quirky little hat here and there. The male models wearing the signature André Courrèges A-line mini dresses? It felt like a spontaneous, not-overthought decision that just radically worked. Something is germinating in this house again. Just please give it time to bud.

All collages by Edward Kanarecki.

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