Blacks In Fashion

Luxury Apparel

« February 24, 2007 | | March 22, 2007 »

 

March 6, 2007

Paris Fashion Week

Patrons of Paris fashion week are now exhausted, having traipsed to remote, out of the way locations to see gems like Véronique Branquinho or from having watched breathtaking (and nerve-racking) shows like Victor and Rolf’s. Occasionally, their hard-won exhaustion was rewarded, however. Here Blacks gives you rundown of the best on the runways.

Akris

Clearly inspired by architectural arrangements, designer Albert Kriemler pulled off a great fall runway. His was definitive of the trends. Instead of seeing them spread out in every different collection, one gathered a sense of the fall fashion microcosm by seeing his show. Black, white, purple, gray, metallic and tan were seen throughout the runway (a blessed departure from the recurrent Black & White). His high turtlenecks, chunky knits and voluminous outerwear made one pine for fall, though we just recently emerged from it.

• His dresses were shot through with lines of gorgeous silvery metallic lines
• Ankle boots were seen on nearly every model
• Skinny pants, hats, gloves and high-necked ensembles were all big trends seen in his collection

Balenciaga

While this show was controversial in its street-wear simplicity, there was definitely a lot of appeal to it at the same time. Click back through older Balenciaga shows and you will see a lot of slender silhouettes, starkly contrasting colors, and little if any bright patterns. This all changed with Nicolas Ghesquière's latest collection which is colorful, young and even a little bit "chav." Pushing the envelope with the elite Parisian crowds, Ghesquière dared to put his models in jackets and khakis. The stand-out item on this runway was the shoes that looked almost as if they were constructed from patent leather Legos.

• Daring fur collars upped the price point of his simple military style jackets
• Checkered and patterned scarves were tucked in layers around the models necks
• An almost Pucci-esque vibe is given off by the elaborate and brightly colored patterns found in most of the outfits the models wore
• Striped sports pants contributed an odd pairing to the cropped jackets and patterned tops
• Dramatically belted waists gave the models exaggerated and bizarre silhouettes

Celine

Her fall collection rippled with a “dominant female “vibe. Her models looked strong but still feminine, her clothes were structured but not severe, and it was all downright beautiful but still edgy.

• Outfits were accompanied by unusual leather newsboy caps that fastened under the chin.
• Glossy leather skinny pants helped give this look a sexy dominatrix vibe
• Heavy, black Edie Sedgwick-like liner gave the impression that these looks are better for nighttime, though some of the dresses and coats would work as classy business attire (see how finely she walks that line?)
• Plain gray and herringbone wide-legged pants were given gorgeous silhouelltes when paired with cinched belts
• Leather gloves and animal prints were a reoccurring theme in this collection
• Again, black and white were the predominant colors.

Hussein Chalayan

Chalayan is a designer that critics can never pigeon-hole – he has always consciously approached fashion as an art form more than most of his peers. His pieces are always highly innovative, and this show was no different. Always socially and environmentally aware, his show had an unusual theme of Environment vs. Technology. His show began with a storm “whirling out of a central podium” (style.com), and his models wore LED lit clothing and glowing head-lamps. His inspired creations never played it safe. The dresses and coats were stiff and beautiful. They appeared to be efforts to make our personal space more concrete. If you are expecting a blustery fall/winter, look no further than this collection. These clothes are designed to protect and shield you from the elements – in the chicest way possible.

• Intensely glossy and reflective tights/leggings made the models legs look like they were made of plastic
• High-collared dresses and high collar necklace constructions took the place of the traditional turtleneck
• Huge hoods, attached to dresses and coats framed the faces of the models.
• Tortoiseshell Lucite, severe stilettos, stripes and contrast whip-stitching were all subtle details that are sure to catch on for fall

Collette Dinigan

The contrast of macabre models (who, with the help of makeup, appear a little undead) contrast nicely with this gorgeous collection. Slouchy scarves and knee-socks over tights gave a hipster edge to this otherwise prim and proper collection. This collection proved a great comeback for Australian designer Collette Dinigan.

• Again, oversized berets were popular.
• Gold sheath dresses and beautiful vintage-style coats were a popular look
• Bright splashes of teal made their way onto this runway, a color not usually seen for fall collections

Christian Dior

This show was a Paris Fashion Week favorite, and for good reason. A breathtaking display of neon colors, voluminous fox fur sleeves, draped fabrics, painted-on expressive eyebrows and absurdly tall straw hats had John Galliano mixing his metaphors. What was ladylike was at the same time edgy, and a landscape of gorgeous details opened up to the observer. The pink tiered skirt, the elaborately wrapped fuchsia silk top, the enormous fox fur sleeves, orange ruffled dress, sequins, bows and muted color arrangements were truly inspired.
But If you aim to imitate Galliano’s creations for your fall wardrobe then remember: theatrics are on display here. These operatic, arabesque dresses will be heart-stopping to the average onlooker. Wear with caution!

• Lime green, fuchsia, cobalt blue and tangerine were amongst the brighter colors on display
• Voluminous fur outfits look to be inspired by Russian princesses

Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen is not usually known for consistency, and this collection is no different. The collection is all over the place. Although claiming to have a “pagan” theme (evidenced by the pentagram drawn on the stage), his fall collection actually ran the gamut from mod ‘60s attire, to gothic/pagan dresses, to futuristic ensembles, to militaristic looks (complete with scary masks). It can’t be said that a singular theme held true here. Many were confused by this odd display of seemingly clashing looks, but the McQueen style held fast. Though it was a very mixed show, it still came off with a bang.

• Bandage-style dresses that opened into voluminous pleated skirts were a key look
• Long straight hair and overdone, Edie Sedgwick eye makeup brought out the models inner “witch”
• Glittering goddess dresses and moon emblems stuck out as attempts at the pagan, but still held enough glamour to appeal to the consumer
• Vibrant patterns laced with shimmering gold were found on many of the dresses

Rue de Mail

Admittedly, this collection was off to a boring start, but picked up steam after the first 15 models. A hint of hope is seen when the drab black attire is broken up by a slash of bright red found in a wide belt. Some truly unusually shaped clothing begins to unfold for the audience as we watch with trepidation – can designer Martine Sitbon pull this off? Our patience pays off as we see voluminous garments, odd shoulder straps on creamy bubble dresses, ruffles in all the right places, and enormous swirly flower details on the later dresses. This attention to detail gives the enveloping sense that Sitbon has not lost her touch.

• Copper, cream and black were the dominant colors in this collection
• One of the best new trends for fall emerges in this collection: black tights with wildly bright-colored close-toed patent shoes

Tao

Comme de Garçons has always attracted the best of the best in upcoming designers and Tao Kurihara is no exception. In her second year of designing Tao, her own brand niche at the Comme de Garçons house, she has come off with a truly unusual fall runway. Typically, the “sporty” look is saved for the spring runway, but she has pulled of sporty for fall by adding warm layers to the shorts and tennis dresses she sent down the runway.

• Contrasting black and pink was a big trend for this collection
• Tao brought a harsh severity to what would otherwise be a playful collection by having her models painted with heavy black lipstick
• Her pink frocks were akin to ‘50s aprons, and worn over plain polos
• In an utterly strange mix of styles, Tao’s fall 2007 could best be described as “’50s mom meets androgynous tuxedoes and tennis attire”

Louis Vuitton

Marc Jacobs serves up delectable monochrome palettes inspired by French and Dutch designs. The looks are luxurious and chic, and utterly étourdissant. The tailored accents on each garment brought a sense of structure to the collection. There were no surprises here: just a well-rounded, well-designed collection that’s sure to be a consumer crowd-pleaser.

• Oversized berets were seen on nearly every model
• Pants were scarce, but skirts and dresses were big in this ladylike collection
• All pants and skirts were made with gorgeous shiny, bronze or metallic materials
• Black & white were the main contrasting colors, but everything else was in matching colors (red dress + red skirt + red shoes)
• Cardigans, voluminous dresses and skirts and wide peter-pan lapels appealed to our ‘50s vintage-loving sensibilities

Yohji Yamamoto

Yamamoto is typically known for creations that are far-removed from the rest of runway trends, but this show proved to be a shocker. The first model to head down the runway drew gasps from the audience. She was clad from head-to-toe in a monogram pattern that was uncomfortably similar to Louis Vuitton’s iconic monogram. Other models came out with this pattern scattered along their attire. What is Yamamoto up to, the crowd wondered. Is there an unspoken rivalry with fellow Japanese native Takashi Murakami? Was this not-so-subtle commentary on the widespread commercialization of high fashion? At any rate, Yamamoto recovered. By the latter half of the show, his models were wearing avant-garde dresses whose tiers and layers and volume made the models look like macabre cupcakes.

• All models wore elaborate head scarves, hats and head gear - a look that has been very popular for the fall 2007 runway
• Huge Doc Marten combat boots accompanied his heavy dresses giving a quirky ‘90s vibe to the whole show
• Cropped glossy jackets were also popular - a look that was vaguely reminiscent of Fendi’s 2006 fall runway
• Black and white dominated this runway show, with small splashes of oxblood red and neon blue spattered throughout

- Reporting by Grace Marzioli