Sarah-Linh Tran

Although poets and writers rarely resort to high fashion, Lemaire‘ spring-summer 2018 is the way I imagine a creative soul to dress on the daily. Equally melancholic as their imaginary (or not) muse, Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran went against the flow and showed a rather elegant, toned collection comparing to other designers this season. But that doesn’t make Lemaire’s offering less charming. Quite opposite – it’s sophisticated and wearable at the same time, oddly seductive and refined. Satin apron dresses, shirts in watercolour print, brown masculine blazers and interestingly fitted tuxedo looks in shades of khaki, navy and dark purple. It’s not for every person that feels comfortable in minimalism, though. You’ve got to be the ‘character’ to really enjoy those not-just-chic pieces. Lemaire’s prime interest is in the clothes, not the entire frame around it. Certainly, the creative duo behind the label pulled it off well, with no big, common for Paris, fuss.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

If you’re reading my blog from time to time, you might surely know how much I love Lemaire. So you can imagine how happy I was, when I visited the brand’s showroom on Le Marais for the first time, just a few days after Christophe Lemaire‘s and Sarah-Linh Tran‘s autumn-winter 2017 fashion show.

But before I will start drooling over the pieces I’ve seen in the showroom, let’s take a look at the collection. Inspired with 40s sport chic garments and Chinese uniforms, the duo had a balance of soft and austere on their mind. But the inspirations behind the collection served just as small concepts, ideas – Lemaire is never over-referential, but rather stays true to its minimal aesthetic. Corduroy tailoring, manish volumes, curved sleeves, distorted silhouttes and all of that kept mostly in flesh tones and classic black. Occasionaly, white see-through stockings peeked out; eclectic jewellery, hand-made in a Parisian atelier, brought charm; pony-hair heels defined understated cool. Lemaire and Tran always pay attention to the clothes’ quality, that’s why all the knits felt even fleecier than usual. I can’t forget to mention the denim pants. The cognac-brown tote. The shirt with XXL sleeves. I need. To. Stop.