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