Parisian Chic. Lanvin SS15

September 27, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Beautiful. Simply magnifique! Alber Elbaz, the designer of Lanvin, celebrates 125 years of that old, Parisian brand! Jeanne Lanvin created this brand for chic women- Alber Elbaz continues her motif up to today. For SS15, we’ve got really beautiful clothes here. Pink v-neck slip dresses. Check. Non-chalant blazer. Check. Statuesque gowns. Check. Everything is sexy, but with taste. And lets also note, which amazing models were present (and all my favourites): Edie Campbell, Jamie Bochert, Natalie Westling, Mica Arganaraz, Malgosia Bela… it was a real model clash. I also fell in love with the kind of dark, melancholic atmosphere- the dresses were feminine, but with a typical, elusive mystery hidden in it. If talking of the king of chic, mister Alber simply takes the crown this season.

Ethereal Punks. Ann Demeulemeester SS15

September 27, 2014January 5, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Sebastien Meunier, whose the second season at Ann Demeulemeester feels like a vocabulary of the house’s heritage, was shown yesterday at Paris Fashion Week. The clothes were black & white, mesh and romantic fabrics were seen. The models had those punk-ish hair, but mostly it all felt silent and ethereal. In other words, it feels like if Ann was still present in the house, but with lack of progress. Beacaues that’s metaphorically true- Sebastien uses old house codes and hits, just to make it all more “commercial” and too Demeulemeester. The collection is not bad- but it feels like if the new creative director didn’t really try that hard as he should to make this Belgian brand be loved and respected. Hope the next season will be better…

Being Attractive. Balmain SS15

September 27, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Mondrian-ish prints. Freeing the nipple. Parisian glamour. Sexy. Olivier Rousteing of Balmain showed a chic and brave collection, making the models look ultra attactive and provocative (if you may say, anything is still provocative in today’s fashion). For a show that was about “pushing the boundaries of sex,” as Rousteing bluntly put it, it didn’t always mean sexy with safe use. The issue, in most cases, was the fabric. As eye-catching as allover crystals can be, they’re hard to slink in—harder still, we imagine, to sit down in. The collection felt not really looking into the future woman, but into the past, where showgirls had their time to shine. However, the sheer tops with bold stripes looked good, but surely not real.

Brutal Love. Rick Owens SS15

September 27, 2014September 27, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Mid-century Polish composer Wojciech Kilar was a distinct departure from Owens’ usual visceral electronic noise. Still, he anchored his models to earth with clogs that clacked noisily around the catwalk. Ghost-models, fauns, normal women- all of them clashed in this romantic, but brutal collection. It was a mix of everything Owens did up to date- Luigi Murenu hair-bushed, panel tafetas, black leather, sculptural silhouettes… although there were many cuts and legs to be seen, it all felt attractive through a dark prism. The ortopedic geisha clogs felt also very dramatic. The Ballets Russes, the early 20th century’s most spectacular rejection of the cultural status quo, was his starting point. Owens gave his own spin to a dancer’s tulle.

NASA in Paris. Paco Rabanne SS15

September 26, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Julien Dossena is just the perfect match for Paco Rabanne. He really makes the brand breath with new life and energy! Very athletic, cosmic, modern- these are the words that do describe the SS15. Having a strong view on details (like bracelets or sci-fi embroideries), Julien and Marie Amelie Sauve did a great job with styling and model casting. Mica looked gorgeous in that knit; Amanda stole the show in that burgundy jacket; Natalie rocked the “shirt” dress. Think Olympic swimming pool, not Saint-Tropez, with color-blocking, contrast piping, daring cutouts, and skirts draped diagonally across the hips, exposing the pelvic bone on one side. They’ll require a phenomenal body to pull off, just as Rabanne’s did back in the day: 21st-century Jane Birkins and Françoise Hardys only. The mustang boots just gave the overall look a sharp, edgy vibe.