Inner Strengths. Chloé SS18

September 29, 2017September 29, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

In fact, Natacha Ramsay-Levi is present in the French fashion for years, if you haven’t noticed: first she worked at Balenciaga with Nicolas Ghesquiere and after following the designer, landed a job at Louis Vuitton. But her new role of creative director at Chloé is the first time she’s in the solo spotlight. Succeeding Clare Waight Keller (the Givenchy debut is just around the corner), who kept Chloé in an eternal rhapsody of boho dresses for about six years, Ramsay-Levi also leads a brand previously designed by Karl Lagerfeld, Martine Sitbone, Stella McCartney, Phoebe Philo and Hannah McGibbon. That’s what you call an impressive line-up. However, the newly appointed designer’s debut was a nod to the Chloé founder, Gaby Aghion. As the show note stated, Natacha decided to stay true to “the independence and intellectual spirit of Gaby”, while embracing femininity and giving women an opportunity to show their inner strength through clothing. And the spring-summer 2018 collection was just that.

Don’t want to use clichés, but that what the designer did was the best possible version of contemporary Parisian chic. Structured mini-skirts, dresses of different lengths covered with prints by a Bombay / Barcelona based artist Rithika Merchant, a timeless camel coat, velvet suits in horse motif and celestial bright gowns. A mix of eclectic, well-curated pieces that resemble Natacha’s aestehtic sense – unconventional and intimate at the same time. The accessories were also très cool, from Chloé it-bags (slightly pimped up with heavy-chain handles and straps) to irresistibly good boots. In some moments, the collection felt like Louis Vuitton in the last few seasons – but that reflects Ramsay-Levi’s signatures that used to be hidden under the brand’s logo. The designer’s lesser known, whimsical side was definitely felt through the jewellery. One of the gold-plated necklaces looked like the prehistoric sculpture of Venus. Summing it all up – I already adore the Ramsay-Levi and Chloé affair!

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Grandiose. Saint Laurent SS18

September 27, 2017September 27, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

The passing of Pierre Bérge, Yves Saint Laurent’s partner in private and business life, wasn’t meant to be reflected as a mourning in Anthony Vaccarello‘s third collection for Saint Laurent. Rather, the spring-summer 2018 collection was a celebration of the ‘l’amour fou’, the crazy love that the two shared. And that was a show that matches one word: grandiose!

From what should I start? The venue was an open-air platform situated in the most precious viewpoint in the French capital – yes, the twinkling Eiffel Tower was the runway’s backdrop! THAT’S PARIS, and Vaccarello loves to highlight that Saint Laurent is the most Parisian label you can think of, in terms of style and its faces (for Yves that was Catherine Deneuve; for Anthony it’s Charlotte Gainsbourg). Second, the collection with an impression that was just as strong as of the venue. It was divided in three parts, the women’s ready-to-wear, menswear and ‘modern-day’ couture. The first part was very lace-y, very bohème and Courtney Love / Lenny Kravitz-cool. In other words, that’s what you see a Parisienne wear on the streets, no bra, just pure confidence. Menswear was simple and chic. However, the couture-ish part was my favourite. What a contemporary ode to Yves and his memorable appreciation for the ‘custom-made’. Puff skirts and very, very mini-dresses of huge volumes (one of them was so short that the model’s panties were visible – they were elegantly embellished with a rhinestone Eiffel Tower). Use of feathers, that referred to YSL’s autumn-winter 1987 and his costumes for Zizi Jeanmarie, was killer. Can’t get enough of all these boas, feather-y shoulders and thigh-high boots covered in plumage. That was so over-the-top. A fashion moment I anticipated so much, but thought will not happen in this decade. With his best collection up-to-date, Vaccarello really proves that Saint Laurent is the perfect place for him. Bravo.

Collages by Edward Kanarecki.

Beach, Lips and Jeanne.

April 4, 2017April 4, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Jeanne Damas is the synonym of today’s Parisian woman. She reflects contemporary French chic and stays far from a book-writing cliché. No, she’s not a Frenchie ~~wannabe~~ with a baguette, a là the ones you see all over your Instagram explore page. In other words, when I hear ‘Jeanne’, I simultaneously think ‘Jane’, ‘Françoise’, ‘Isabelle’. If you know what I mean…

Now, after a brief moment of admiration for Jean, here’s the thing. Rouje is her womenswear label and it’s a love letter to flirty dresses, romantic floral shirts and high-waisted denim. Spring-summer 2017 is Jeanne’s second season and it has just dropped on her on-line on-line page, accompanied by dreamy, Mediterrean-hot look-book (starring the designer and her friends). Red-lips, a fruit market near the shore and vintage sunglasses: oui, it’s perfect.

Sainte Nitouche. Vanessa Seward AW17

March 11, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Sainte Nitouche. “It means coy.” Vanessa Seward explained backstage of her autumn-winter 2017 fashion show. “Nice, but naughty“. That sign was on one of her ultra-chic t-shirts, worn over a delightful, floral shirt in indigo. With one boutique in Los Angeles, one in London and three in Paris, that’s evident that Seward’s style appeals to women. This season,the designer went Yves Saint Laurent-like glam: voluminous fur coats, smoking jackets and feminine midi-skirts were the show stoppers, just like beige turtlenecks. Vanessa Seward isn’t a designer who wants to revolutionize fashion, but she isn’t interested in temporary hype neither. Her clothes are classic and French, ignoring the fact that it sounds like a boring cliché. Believe me – it’s far from boring, but rather seductive. And easy. That’s why women across the world feel so affectionate about Seward’s brilliant pieces.

French Love. Jacquemus AW17

March 1, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

The anticipation before Simon Porte Jacquemus‘ autumn-winter 2017 was growing, as the designer posted three, very special photos on his Instagram account. On each, the show invitation was pictured. And they were signed for Pablo Picasso, Manitas de Plata and Francois Gilot – a pack of cult personalities, who shaped the cultural world of Spain and France in the 20th century. One thing was sure – Jacquemus won’t disappoint this season, “inviting” those three personalities to the show.

And he didn’t. That was ‘chic’. The pure quintessence of this word. From the miniature bags and over-sized to geometrical jackets and flirty dresses. Surprisingly, black was the collection’s main colour, while the designer is rather known for bold shades or simple white. But the collection was far from dull. This sense of darkness made the statuesque coats look refined, mature. You could really notice the hidden beauty of this collection, which keeps so much of the designer’s intimacy. His uncle was a bull-fighter: that’s from where you’ve got the sculpted, matador hats. Little, bejewelled buttons and buckles were a nod to Christian Lacroix, one of Simon’s biggest fashion idols. “When I was a child, I grew up dreaming of Christian Lacroix, who I saw in my mother’s magazines, and meant fashion to me” is how he explains his life-time obsession with the legendary designer, who never said a ‘no’ to signature, over-the-top splendour.

Although this collection would have stolen more than one heart of old Parisian boheme, Jacquemus focuses on his contemporary girl from the real world. Giving her a dream, a story. “It was about this Parisian girl who wears couture who falls in love with a gypsy in the south of France. She tries to be like a gypsy, but she cannot—she is too couture!” There’s this current mania for French chic, which usually ends on ripped denim and not washed hair (according to best-selling books with style tips). But Jacquemus, with his unique, deeply rooted sensibility, brings chic to women of today.