A Beautiful Balenciaga Spring/Summer 2012.

While taking his bow after his Balenciaga show an emotional Nicolas Ghesquiere mouthed "Sorry, sorry."  If you are wondering what he was sorry for it is because of the collapse of the benches that all fell like dominos as the room filled up. After three or four crashes a voice over the p.a. system asked in French and in English for everyone to stand up and watch the show fully upright.

The presentation that began with a high fashion statement of structure and volume put this collapse behind and pulled the attention of the room on this highly chic line-up. Earlier on he said "I don't know if oversize is the right term for that type of construction. But this famous, and for me, a very functional, concept of Cristobal is the idea of the space between the body and the fabric.The clothes float away from the body. It's one of the big iconic things of Balenciaga. The fluidity of floating is beautiful, but it is something else. An architectural piece floating around the body is very structural. I think it's something that Balenciaga invented."

Ghesquiere has reinvented  this concept and by seeing these clothes there is nothing else but beautiful construction and a mixture of fabrics that absolutely showed what design and fashion is all about by thinking out of the box. The oversized pieces that were grand in proportions were lightweight that came in graphic color plays. Fabric collages came many shapes some of which were worn with super short pants.

The exaggerated, downward sloping brims that Balenciaga introduced in 1967 were worn with some of these inspirations. All of this is a continuous flow of ideas and inspirations that Ghesquiere channels for Balenciaga and are always marvelous must haves. What was Nicolas sorry about? I forgot.

BALENCIAGA

Spring/Summer

2012

Liking Lanvin for Spring/Summer 2012

When a designer has created a string of fabulous collections that were successful it indicates that it would be unwise to just coast along and relax. It is more about thinking more or less out of the box. And Alber Elbaz thought about how the Internet has changed the way he designs. "I thought 'All I want is a gray jogging suit, but in the street it will be so boring,'" said Elbaz during a preview. "Then I said, 'You know what? We are not X-raying everything.' So for me it was more important [how the clothes] would feel than how it would photograph." 

 

Elbaz came up with clothes perfect and chic for comfort. And so the jogging suit made it along with the T-shirts, pencil skirts and loose shirt dresses opened the show. The Track pants with side stripes and slits were sexy. A white T-shirt was done with special, structured sleeves. And the stretch scuba material was worked into tight skirts, boned on one side to prevent from riding up. A spectacular color-blocked dress with long sleeves and a bejeweled snake slithering up the side and around the neck was a delight.

Elbaz moved away from the draping and tucking that shaped most successful collections but he pointed out that his costumers wanted it. He found a way to reinstate it through pronounced, padded shoulders created from tucked fabric on sleeveless blouses, silky sweatshirts and tailored jackets. Elbaz called them "wings".

In the end there was a fabulous Eighties vibe that was completely out of control with chic and glamour. Crystal crosses and gold chokers were piled on and were absolutely fun. Tracksuits were done in green and black snake prints and dresses that were soft and pleated held with safety pins are perfect touches to the line up. This is a wonderful sense of evolution always happening at Lanvin and Alber Elbaz is behind it all. Jeanne Lanvin would be absolutely proud.

LANVIN

Spring/Summer

2012

Haider Ackermann Spring 2012 is Ravisant!!

An exquisite collection by Haider Ackermann. The silhouettes are elegant and relaxed and had such grace as they appeared on the runway. The beautiful oversized tailored jackets with the bunched up sleeves and popped collars over the matching drop-crotch pants that ballooned then tapered looked like Ackermann's own personal style in an exaggerated way.

He said the look was "Rockabilly Barons" finished with oxford mules. The cuts were based in traditional menswear but the fabrics were not and they looked tousled just like the hair on the models heads to resemble a pompadour. The fabrics were thick, shiny silks that were like shantung and geometric brocades came in beautiful jewel tones such as deep purple, crystal blue, persimmon, chartreuse and magenta all laced in gold and silver for an iridescent glow. There were a mixture of rich paisleys and madras that looked traditionally Indian. The heaviness of the upholstery fabrics were quite softened up by the sheer silks and chiffons made into elegant trumpet skirts and draped dramatically with veils.

After the show Ackermann said "This collection was about the woman who travels all over, bringing her wardrobe with her." Another influence to his collection was Yves Saint Laurent. The glamorous finale dress that was made with two vertical pewter lame strips attached to a long knife pleated skirt would have put a smile on YSL's face and he would say "Ravisant!!"

Nina Ricci is a Modern Lady for Spring 2012



"Very cute and very French" is what Peter Copping described the Nina Ricci Collection for Spring 2012. And what he showed was a collection that was truly Haute Couture Sixties with fabulous treatments of fabrics that made clothes that were quite chic and pretty much lady like. There were suited looks and dresses that were curvaceous and flirtatious in laces, cloques, and printed jacquards. Some delicate patchworks and encrustations of high-sparkle embroideries hit the spot. There was a touch of tough chic with a short biker jacket over a cocktail or a leather trench.

The prints came from the archive of Zina de Plagny, after whom Copping named his collection and who had done a great deal of work for the house founder. Copping had seen an article of de Plagny's daughter and keeper of his archive. He intended to get in touch with her but she found him first. He took his patterns directly from de Plagny, gentle florals memorable contrast with all the season's screamers.

It looks like Copping is putting a challenge into his work for Nina Ricci. All he needs to do now is to get a bit more bolder so that the evolution as a result of this could keep the excitement up and going. At the same token, this is quite the collection for any women who wants to be lady like and sexy.

Nina Ricci

Spring/Summer

2012

Christian Dior Spring 2012 is Pretty


As the house of Dior is going through its transition it seemed to make more sense in making clothes that are more commercial. This is what Bill Gaytten came up with for his second time designing for the house. No matter what the house is going through there is a loyal clientele that wants to buy a Dior outfit.


An LED light show surrounded the interior of the tent at the Musée Rodin tracing the signature moldings, that signaled the modernization of the house codes. Gaytten designed versions of the Bar jacket with a wide neckline and more streamlined basque. They are worn over organza blouses and bubble skirts done in airy gazar. There were pretty feminine pale colors, like ice blue and nude pink. Some punches of red were just right in the mixture of the graphic black and white check motif and geometric embroideries on skirts and dresses. Filmy silks, plied with tulle and lace flowed for evening.

This was not the spectacular fashion statement that the house showed in the past. Maybe because there was an absence of the flair of Gaytten's predecessor but there was the modification that maintains Dior's class and luxury that remains present in the world today. The clothes overall are exquisite in construction and quality. What more can you expect from the House of Dior, no matter who the creative director is?

Ann Demeulemeester Spring 2012

Ann Demeulemeester shows that she is not a one dimensional designer by expressing her soft side with a collection that was loose, flowing and romantic with a menswear twist. Black was not the only main color which she is known for. Ivory and a blushing were added and held a great balance of weight and space. The layers were gauzy and had a great sense of tailoring and the floppy hats gave a nice floating feeling. There were a combination of wide-leg pants and embroidered jackets, caftan like gowns and sheer robes dramatically swept over wide-leg pants with silk fringed tassels around the neckline and back, an effect that continued throughout whether making a statement or a simple accent. This collection was more than hippie chic. It was modern elegance done the Demeulemeester way.

Ann Demeulemeester

Spring/Summer

2012

Gareth Pugh Spring 2012 is Unique Fashion.

The show opened with an obsessive film by Ruth Hogben a frequent Gareth Pugh collaborator. It starred Crystal Renn, who appeared to be bound and completely ferocious. It was pretty mesmerizing with the art direction and editing as it set the tone which leaned on the aggressive.

Pugh enjoys the dark side and somehow manages to find something beautiful in it and pull out elements of this beauty and make unique pieces that gets attention. Stiff horizontal strips were made into coats, dresses and jackets. Black and white striped styles were in the mix. Among the armor like pieces there were some soft pieces that gave the collection a balance. At the end of the show the screen burst into purple flames, and out came warriors in flame shaped helmets and soft liquid coats. Pugh definitely delivers interesting pieces and is worth looking forward to see his collections all the time.

Gareth Pugh

Spring

2012

Givenchy is Diving Deep for Spring 2012

Riccardo Tisci has been moving away from black which he loves and wanted to show a more romantic side which was reflected with powdery colors, undulating peplums and sheer, frothy fabrics which were surely feminine. After moving fashion into a print loving direction, Tisci has opted to be cleansed of pattern and to go deep sea diving.

There were some markings of some sea wolves that were hand-painted on sequins or leather, and a giant shark tooth pendant on a chain hanging against the rib cage. The show opened with a sleeveless blazer with low slung, peaked lapels and then there were that had menacing short tails worn with severe blouses and sexy scubalike pants. The tailoring and construction were extremely exceptional and innovative. Snug jackets with sprouting jabots moved like seaweed. Skirts had swooping hemlines and trailing streamers.

The climax of the show came when pieces came out with slashed leather fish scales and head to toe silver sequins. When Gisele Bündschen came out with a short and shiny algae green ensemble it was the perfect final look and she looked ravishing and sexy in it making her look like a queen of the ocean.

This is a beautiful Givenchy collection that will blow you out of the water.

Givenchy
Spring/Summer 
2012

Pedro Laurenço Spring 2012

Pedro Laurenço is an amazing talent and has been in the Paris scene for just four seasons and has made quite and impression in such a short amount of time. He has great raw ambition and designs well. By looking at the mixed textures of ecological architecture he came up with another fashion forward collection. Geometric patchwork of leather, jute, light velvet, silvery cellophanelike material and green tube beads meant to look like grass was applied all over slim skirts, cropped square pants and leather jackets done in sporty, futuristic shapes. The mixture of fabrics were well done and the technical craft is advanced yet there is a tendency to overdesign in a direction that bears a resemblance to the recent stylings of Balenciaga. Silver-foiled pants and slim layered dresses were the most wearable pieces. The Jackets that were inspired by construcivist toys that had huge curling epaulets could have been less and they gave a nice flare to the collection.

If you want special pieces in your wardrobe, go to Pedro Laurenço.


Pedro Laurenço
Spring/Summer
2012

The Grace of Giorgio Armani Spring 2012

Giorgio Armani said "The idea is taking all the colors of the pearl. Everything is a play of light; the shiny effect comes and goes." These beautiful words come from Armani observing the pearl and all of its incarnations. The palette ran from not-so-quite whites and pale grays to blues, jade and subtle golden hues. The prints were quite calm and soothing. He kept the focus on the ever changing surfaces of the fabric by experimenting with shapes through cut and the result was a linear look with a considerable amount of diversity.

For day he had beautiful draped dresses with one-shoulder capelets; belted jackets cut in fluid silks; peplumed tunics over pants and simple chic navy suits. For evening there were confections of lavish iridescent embroideries in intricate motifs or unadorned in mesmerizing satins. These looks were inspirations of the waterworld and were structured beautifully. He closed the show with a trio of delicate adornment of whites on his models in an obvious homage to the Three Graces. Graceful it was according to WWD and I agree!

Giorgio Armani

Spring/Summer

2012