Feminist. Lemaire SS17

October 2, 2016October 2, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

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.

Excellent Palette. Rochas SS17

October 1, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

There’s a distinct difference between Alessandro Dell’AcQua‘s Rochas, and his Milan-based No21. While his more youthful brand is about lady-grunge and exciting layering, Alessandro seems to be a mature man at the historic house in Paris. But first, lets praise Molly Goddard for reviving tulle and making it a “thing” in fashion industry. The trend spreads fast, and Dell’AcQua adores it. The first model emerged in a yellow frock, with pink tulle peeking from underneath, wearing knitted gloves in the same colour. Effect? Feminine, flirty and sweet. Colour combination fantasy didn’t end here: the creative director has a sharp eye for colours, and he’s a master of combining the most unobvious shades. In other words, the palette was excellent, from carrot-orange and lemon-yellow, to flesh-pink and forest-green.

After being appointed to his new role in 2013, it’s pretty clear that the Italian designer feels like home at Rochas. It’s intriguing to see how the brand develops under his wings – it’s becoming a favourite of such anti-celebrities as Soko, French indie-rock musician. She appeared in the front row with her boys (all dressed in dresses, accidentally matching the main focus of the collection). Fortunately, Rochas won’t end in the box of brands with “nice” dresses – it’s already far, far away from that point with it’s new off-kilter nature.

Moody. Dries Van Noten SS17

October 1, 2016October 1, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

“We wanted a more brutal way of doing things,” confessed Dries Van Noten after his spring-summer 2017 show in Paris. “We just started to chop up garments and throw flower prints on. Everything contrasting!” Indeed, “contrast” is a fitting term for Dries’ multi-faceted outing of opulent gowns embroidered with layers of jewels and draped in silks. Intricately embellished high-necked blouses with Victorian sleeves were kept in eye-killing shades of yellow and blue, while fish-net elements peeked out from underneath her soft cashmere knits and glamorous evening-gowns. The woman portraited by Van Noten this season has nothing against street-wise: just look at the range of satin bomber jackets. Unlike Marchesa Casati, last seaon‘s muse, it’s not about one specific woman for spring. The designer shares only one tip – whoever she’s, she dresses according to her mood, from the most noir and dramatic looks, to most mesmerising colour combinations. The rest is left for you to intepret.

Chinatown Mules. Y/Project SS17

September 29, 2016September 29, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Amid the new league of young, fashion talents based in Paris, there’s Jacquemus, Koché, Courrèges boys, and of course Vetements collective. Another one in the hood is Glenn Martens, who is the designer behind Y/Project. While other re-invent heritage, French brands or mess around with underground rave culture, Glenn is somewhere in between reviving Marie Antoinette dresses and developing a 21st century gear for cool women (and men). For spring/summer 2017, the designer nails denim pants, which are very much into elongated silhouettes. Velvet body-con piece or a pony-hair top subvert the term “elegance”, just like unconventional evening wear which focuses on exaggerated, sleeveless parachute dresses. The models wore layers of pearl necklaces, ironically contrasting with the so-in-demand street-wise hoodies. Following the anti-fashion maxim, the uglier the better, Glenn sent out a line of the most trashy mules and stilettos you have ever seen. “They’re from Chinatown,” he said backstage, without an attempt to conceal this fact. I doubt a modern-day princess would immerse herself in those cumbersome clothes – but a Parisian skate-girl, for sure.

Trip And Strip. Saint Laurent SS17

September 29, 2016September 29, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

The debut collection by Anthony Vaccarello for Saint Laurent is behind us, and we’ve got the first image of how the new creative director approaches the brand. We know Anthony’s aesthetic at his namesake label, which is mostly about leather, sexy mini-lengths. Hedi Slimane, Vaccarello’s predecessor, was exactly that during his tenure at Saint Laurent, with his sultry LA rock band attire. It was fairly predictable that some of the looks for Saint Laurent will be nearly undistinguishable from the Belgian/Italian designer’s own line. In other words, the label’s clients, who are less aware of fashion industry twists, won’t note a big change in the brand’s ready-to-wear range. At least, those boyfriend jeans, draped gold lamé dresses and classy le smoking suits were far, far away from Slimane’s frequently despised vulgarity.

The 80’s played a role in Vaccarello’s spring-summer 2017: it’s another brand which continues a venture into the topic of over-sized sleeves-of-mutton this season. Also, a big 1980’s moment appeared in the collection as an abundance of iconic YSL logo, designed by Cassandre back in 1961. It was everywhere, from the logo-shaped heels to zirconia embellished tights. The shoes stole the spotlight of the show, and Instagram adored this fashion moment – but is it that ground-breaking? Stefano Pilati did a very similar thing with accessories, when he was at helm of the brand.

Vaccarello previewed his collection and its “new” mood a few weeks before the presentation, by releasing Inez & Vinoodh’s mini-video starring Anja Rubik. Polish model, who’s privately best friends with the designer, trips and strips along the Seine to the tune of a melancholic song by Michelle Gurevich. Anja really does look like the song’s “Party Girl“, and it’s pretty visible that the cult of a nonchalant, chic Parisienne continues to be alive in the codes of Saint Laurent. Although the debut collection is a bit of a cliché, the pieces briefly convey Yves Saint Laurent’s style in a relevant way. It’s the time that will show Anthony’s strength as a designer of such brand.