Arnaud Vaillant and Sebastien Meyer’s few year stint at Courrèges took the brand to the contemporary fashion agenda, but not entirely – it seemed that the editors mildly liked it, but the clients weren’t convinced to buy their jackets and mini-skirts. Will Yolanda Zobel be the person to lead Courrèges in the proper direction? Debuts are always difficult, especially at a brand that hasn’t seen a heyday since the 70s. Zobel had good intentions. She showed at the brand’s flagship; the guests were standing, while some models danced down the runway; the mood was fine, filled with energy and optimism. The new eco-focused project coming from the designer – the pop-up shop that recently opened next door to the flagship to sell off the house’s remaining unsustainable vinyl – was also a promise of Courrèges’ prosperity in 2018. But then, the actual clothes appeared on the runway. Yolanda helplessly lost herself in the brand’s archives. Courrèges was known for A-line mini-dresses and the ones from the past really looked appealing. The new versions are rather appalling. Uncomfortably looking shorts; some boxy crop-tops with too many pockets; odd logo tights; tight sequined dresses styled with cumbersome boots. The worst was the bondage stuff, that made the models look imprisoned, rather than liberated. Andre Courrèges wanted to create a wardrobe for the modern times, with a futurist, sci-fi twist. At this moment, Yolanda misses on that with her edgily cosmic “costumes”, not clothes. Still, I’m not crossing Courrèges out of the sight. Let’s all hope that was just the first, unsuccessful trial.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.