Live From... Paris Fashion Week, Day 1

Louis Vuitton

 
It was sophisticated sport-meets-safari for Kim Jones' debut at the helm of Louis Vuitton menswear, bringing the tailoring skills honed at Dunhill and his own sporty aesthetic to the luxury label. His childhood in Kenya also coloured the collection and led the designer to find further inspiration in photographer and diarist Peter Beard, whose work documents African wildlife.

“At its simplest level, it is about the idea of travel... after all, travel forms the foundation of the Vuitton brand.”  Said Kim Jones

The look: Sophisticated traveller

Silhouette: Sartorially tailored

Key items: Jones brings a casual touch to his tailored looks, with blazers and rolled pants or shorts, even lustrous silk wool evening SB suits are casually styled with collarless, open-necked shirts. There is heavy emphasis on outerwear – jackets in particular, with Harringtons and varsity blousons, quilted jackets, a four-pocket safari style and sporty hooded windcheaters as well as a classic trench coat and luxury parka in sand-coloured suede. With the African inspirations, summer heat is definitely in the air, giving rise to plenty of shorts as well as short-sleeved shirts and plain tees or sweatshirt-style tops

Colour: Classic navy and white, bright red with royal blue, sandy and sunbleached neutrals and a palette of soft earthen browns

Fabric & knit: Lightweight summer suiting, silk mohair, triple bonded silks, cashmere and vicuna wools, cotton and cotton canvas, sweatshirting, jersey, chequerboard knits in raffia, zigzag stitch knit, crocodile and alligator leathers, suede, brushed-backed chevron cashmere knits

Print & pattern: A rowing-inspired red and blue V-shaped logo, pyjama stripes, ink spots, house Damier checks reinterpreted in bright red and blue inspired by the colours of the Masai

Details & trims: Patterened quilting, notched lapels, safari pockets, drawstrings, VVN leather zip pulls, VVN leather harnessing

Footwear: Chestnut brown or tan polished leather oxfords, popper-studded leather sandals, sporty activewear-inspired sandals, two-tone desert boots

Accessories: Open-topped leather shoppers, across-body binoculars case bags, sporty backpacks, quilted weekend bags; rolled neckerchiefs, large fringed cashmere scarves, short cord necklaces featuring mother of pearl inlaid beetle pendants, knitted club ties, a 24-carat-gold thread shot tie, piped-frame sunglasses

Jean Paul Gaultier

Much hullabaloo is often made of Jean Paul Gaultier's costumic themes – we had James Blond last season - but for spring/summer 2012 Gaultier was bereft of an obvious theme. Without his punks or pirates, his collection felt all at sea in a hotch potch of looks.

The look: Anything goes

Silhouette: Tailored and layered

Key items: Tailoring is always a key component for JPG, and here he offers trompe l’oeil-effect three-piece suits comprising of tailored jackets and all-in-one waistcoats (US: vest) and trousers; evening suits are deconstructed and see tux jackets paired with coloured pants or shorts in aloha floral prints. Elsewhere suit trousers are largely full and pleat-fronted and waistcoats feature scalloped lace trims. Outerwear including jean jackets, baseball jackets and signature trench coats, arrive in tartan-printed organza and revealed printed shirts beneath. Elsewhere there are kilt-pleated shorts as well as straight-leg options, striped knit vests (US: tanks) and polo tops

Colour: While there is no cohesive colour palette, pops of royal blue, kingfisher blue and tomato red enlivened the wealth of black, navy, grey and tartan blue-green

Fabric & knit: Satin, raw indigo denim, python skin, leather, tartan, printed organza, cotton, micro houndstooth, pinstripe suiting

Print & pattern: Retro Hawaiian landscapes/postcard prints, aloha florals, signature sailor stripes, small-scale florals for shirting, tartan, an all-over repeat of Rue Saint-Martin road signs

Details & trims: Multiple pockets, scalloped-edge lace trims, rhinestones, notched lapels

Footwear: Printed hi-tops, lace-up plimsolls, suede loafers, pointed satin evening shoes

Accessories: Skinny ties, cummerbunds, tartan or striped socks, fringed tartan scarves

Viktor & Rolf Monsieur

                          

Spring/summer 2012 took on a sunny aspect at Viktor & Rolf, who moved away from their signature conceptual looks to present a collection of neat 70s-inspired resortwear based around a Mediterranean palette, with some offbeat fabric mixes and playful dolphin motifs.

“This spring/summer 2012 Monsieur reflects a new age mood. He remains the same creative man - the sexy intellect - whose wardrobe is an authentic mix of formal and informal. Our Monsieur is on a mystical and spiritual journey and is attracted to magical symbols and serene shades. He's investigating boundaries, but within his own world,” said Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren.

The look: Summer vacation

Silhouette: Neat tailored resortwear

Key items: The collection emphasises a casual formal mix, with sharp peaked lapel 70s-style SBs and classic 70s pant shapes teamed with printed half-sleeved resort shirts and patterned polos in a mismatched palette and lightweight fabric mixes. Casual pants have a sporty appeal, with drawstring waists or a cut-off denim waistband, perfect to layer with a crisp white 4-pocket Harrington hybrid or even the design duo's unexpected lace shirt. The trench and the western jacket offer diverse outerwear options, fabric-blocked in toning shades of blue suede and denim and for evening, crisp tuxedos and bow ties offset with the incongruous mix of minimal sandals and socks

Colour: A summery palette reflecting the colours of Mediterranean resorts with washed sky blue, deep ultramarine and indigo complemented with old gold, Dijon, soft lemon, brick and warm terracotta, pebble grey, soft sage and bois de rose

Fabric & print: Mohair suiting, nylon twill, pressed cotton, chambray, denim, suede, jersey, summer checks, lace, silk, cotton shirtweights

Print & pattern: Playful dolphin intarsias and regular repeat all-over dolphin motifs worked on half-sleeve shirts or polos. Spots on a white ground, horizontal toning stripes

Details & trims: Cut-off denim waistbands on pants, drawstring waist pants, elongated plackets on polos, fabric-blocking, sharp peaked lapels

Footwear: Cleat-soled white boots, minimal X-strap sandals, piped loafers, snakeskin derby

Accessories: Straight top sunglasses with built-up bridge, socks

Yohji Yamamoto

A stellar showing from Yohji Yamamoto, who played with volume and subtle Japonesque workwear influences for a serene collection with a timeless aesthetic that spoke of a gentler bygone era.

The look: Ethnic workwear

Silhouette: Layered volume worked in trapeze-like shapes

Key items: Yamamoto's signature overscaled jackets come with patchwork backs this season, layered over easy tunic shirts, some with collarless details others with military pockets or worn belted to become a jacket hybrid. The focus of the collection comes in the form of wide-legged pants and culottes – often pleated or constructed like soft chaps to layer over wide-legged pants or slim-cuffed trousers. Mismatched pattern play adds to the layered feel along with easy duster coats, shrug-on cardigan jackets and elongated placket Henleys

Colour: Unexpected pops of brights highlight a palette of traditional darks based aound black and indigo, damson, espresso and charcoal punctuated with parrot green, cerulean blue, candy pink, poppy and mint with soft sage and sand bringing in an subtle earthy feel

Fabric & knit: Natural cottons and linen, washed finishes, silk, jersey

Print & pattern: There is a traditional ethnic feel in the subtle mismatched prints, with precise block patterns contrasted with random all-overs, micro florals and pin-prick markings like vintage batiks

Footwear: Plimsolls, flat lace-ups, work boots

Accessories: Unstructured trilbies, soft caps, scarf-like belts, narrow leather belts, striped ties

Issey Miyake

Issey Miyake may be in a state of transition following the departure of Creative Director, Dai Fujiwara, but that didn’t stop the design team from pulling off a strong collection for spring/summer, full of easy Asian-referenced silhouettes, vivid colour and bold prints.

The look: Modern ethnic

Silhouette: Relaxed Asian-inspired and unstructured

Key items: Unstructured duster coats and relaxed SBs provide the perfect team mates for easy wide-cropped pants cut with soft volume, a key look mirrored in boxy shirt jackets and oversized half-sleeve shirts. Diffused panels of vivid colour add interest to crisp white shirts, bringing a subtle ethnic look into play along with the almost ikat-like stripes used on dark suitings and the drapey sarouel hybrids. Other key items evolve around layering pieces like the unstructured neck knits, simple tank tees and neat buttoned waistcoats

Colour: Soft neutrals like bone white, string and sand tempered a range of vivid blues from ultramarine to aqua and peacock with flashes of sky blue, chrome yellow and espresso

Fabric & knit: Washed cotton, linen, silk, summer checks, marld knits and jersey, striped knits

Print & pattern: An exaggerated diagonal wave-like tie-dye effect stripe, diffused colour-block panels, ikat-like weaves, striped knits

Details & trims: Drawstring hems on soft pants

Footwear: Strappy sandals, vivid-coloured lace-ups with contrast laced detail

Accessories: Small-brimmed woven trilbies

Rick Owens

A stunningly simple look from Rick Owens. He took the current mood for androgyny to the max by reinterpreting wardrobe basics - like the dress, skirt, toga and tunic - into a gender-blend asexual collection of geometrical layered pieces that crossed the traditional male-female divide.

The look: Androgyny

Silhouette: Long and draped or multi-layered

Key items: The tailored SB gets a makeover in elongated proportions, with frock coat hems and an inset panelled revers to layer over the simplest A-line floor-skimming dresses and straight-cut maxiskirts with a back split hem. Long tunic tops and tunic knits complete the look, worked with funnel necklines, engineered gradated stripe placements or a vertical band of printed linear motifs. Toga-like drapes add soft volume to the look, creating an alternative dress hybrid, while skinny leggings and a slim padded coat silhouette had a more masculine appeal

Colour: A monastic palette that revokes colour in flavour of asexual black, white, charcoal, pebble, string, sand and a hint of ink

Fabric & knit: Flat suitings, melanged and slubbed effects, sheened mohair suitings, papery cotton, cotton, lightly padded effects, raw silk, silk shantung, jersey, compact knits

Print & pattern: Gradated vertical panelled stripes, abstract angular grid lines in white on black

Details & trims: Soft ruched unstructured hemlines, triangular cowls on cotton tunic shirts

Footwear: Unlaced military boots in black or grey

Accessories: Neckerchiefs, dark sunglasses with a straight-cut built-up bridge

Alexis Mabille

For spring/summer 2012, Alexis Mabille unveiled a new collaboration with intimates label Hom. as models peeled off their clothes to reveal the goods. The apparel collection riffed on the perennial nautical story, with sailor stripes and chain motifs adding an on-trend touch with sporty influences.

The look: Sporty nautical

Silhouette: Athletic and top heavy

Key items: As part of the collaboration with Hom, Mabille offers a new range of underwear and swimwear, including briefs, short boxers and mankinis, as well as V-necked tees, striped socks, hooded dressing gowns in satin or waffle cotton, and jersey track pants tapered to a skinny ankle cuff. For the main collection bottomweights include slim-fitting cargo pants, some cuffed at the knee as long shorts, wide pleat-front shorts and straight-cut tailored pants; tops are sporty, with oversized sweatshirts, a zippered baseball jacket/track top hybrid, bibbed granddad tees or vests, and hooded shirts – some with drawstring waists; tailoring is largely slim-fitting comprising 1SB jackets and those straight-leg pants, while outerwear highlights offered a belted mac and trench coat, and a grey marl jersey pea coat with striped revers and low-placed DB buttons

Colour: Grey, black, white and navy

Fabric & knit: Jersey - bonded, cotton, silk, Lycra stretch; grey chambray, linen, cotton, gingham, checked shirting cottons, satin, ciré, waffle cotton

Print & pattern: Typographical slogans, trompe l'oeil chain, Breton stripes in varying scale and placements

Details & trims: Contrast revers, white shirt collars and cuffs, bib-fronts, striped edging trims, cargo pockets, V-necks, drawstrings, feature stitching at the knee, low placement DB buttoning, hoods

Footwear: Jute trimmed canvas espadrilles

Accessories: Bandana scarves worn around the wrist, large link chain bracelets; across-body chain-strapped mini bags, canvas shoppers with knotted rope handles; animal print belts

Dries Van Noten

Other designers may be touting rock 'n' roll looks or carefree resort dressing for spring/summer 2012, but Dries Van Noten was preoccupied with the funtionality of outdoor clothing for next season – specifically waterproof clothing for men who spend their time hunting, shooting and fishing.

The look: Protective

Silhouette: Covered-up and functional tempered with lean tailoring

Key items: Outerwear is the focus of this collection, with variations on a theme for functional parkas, anoraks and zipped-through cabans all worked with a multitude of pocket details, contrast bound trims, drawstrings and funnel necklines. Layering is another key theme, with wide-legged shorts worked over straight-cut pants or leggings, crisp white shirt tails peeping from the hemlines of parkas or tailored jackets. Tailoring is slick and lean worked in sheened fabrications with 6DB jackets and low-slung pleat front tapered pants, while easy tunic knits come in dry-handle textured yarns and a profusion of stripes add a touch of pattern play for casual shirts and pants 

Colour: A palette of intense summer darks confirm midnight blue and deep aubergine as key colours for next summer, here offset with espresso and sand with vivid accents of industrial orange and chrome yellow

Fabric & knit: Technical nylons and coated fabrics are the order of the day contrasted with silks and fluid satins, crisp cottons or rustic linen-like textures, sometimes in one garment as in fabric-blocked ciré with linen effects. Knits add texture with dry-handle yarns in plains and stripes

Print & pattern: Stripes worked as panel details or as all-overs

Adam Kimmel

Adam Kimmel’s spring/summer collection may not have been groundbreaking in terms of setting trends or defining conceptual new aesthetics, but where this designer scores is that he produces clothes men will actually want to wear.

The look: Rugged and sporty

Silhouette: Lean but fluid casual/formal layers

Key items: Sporty outerwear is always a strong look from this designer and for summer 2012, parkas, a waxed cotton caban and rugged blousons come layered over simple zipped-through jackets and tops, to team with boyish knee-length shorts or slouchy zipped hem pleat-front pants. Zips are a recurring theme, trimming leather colour-blocked Harringtons, splicing the neck of a striped polo top or tracing the front of an easy all-in-one, while sheened suitings bring a slick look to SB tailoring. Half-sleeved resort shirts provide the blank canvas for overdyed florals or a micro skateboarder print,  soft fine-gauge knits come with the playful contrast of coloured welt trims, while a basic T-shirt gets a fashion makeover with a rainbow-coloured psychedelic logo

Colour: Black, midnight, espresso, mole, taupe and bone white with old gold and poppy highlights

Fabric  & knit: Waxed cotton, nylon, leather, drill, silky shantung effects, two-tone mohair suitings, melanged fine-gauge knits, jersey, washed linen and cotton.

Print & pattern: A grid-like pattern on dark grounds, fleck-like all-over motifs in black and white with a micro skateboarder motif, overdyed floral

Details & trims: White exposed zips, contrast welts, contrast hoods

Footwear: Work boots, simple canvas slip-on deck shoes

Accessories: Mirrored eyewear, colourful printed scarves

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Live From... Paris Fashion Week, Day 6

Alexis Mabille

 

A trip down memory lane for Alexis Mabille, who drew on those glossy 70s influences that have underpinned other shows this season. The designer gave his collection a point of difference by combining a subtle ethnic vibe with his flirty flowing silhouettes.

The look: The 70s road well travelled

Silhouette: Feminine and flowing

Key items: Flirty below-knee-length skirts and easy belted wrap coats were the key pieces in a collection that worked 70s square-cut empire-line tunic dresses and square-cut tops over skinny poloneck knits and wide flared pant shapes. Fur-trimmed knit ponchos took that 70s look to the max, along with floor-sweeping wrapped skirts and kaftan-style after-six dresses. Mabille’s subtle 70s ethnic influences came into play with the multitude of tiny covered buttons that traced neat-fit knits and kimono wrap coats, or in the paisley prints and flaying tasselled belts that tethered his easy silhouettes

Colour: An offbeat palette of lights and brights, worked around camel, ginger and grey, grenadine and black, undercut with accents of poppy red, sapphire blue, forget-me-not and apricot

Fabric & knit: Jersey weights, double-faced wools - sometimes reversed to a plaid - satin, cashmere, sheers, crepe de chine, fox furs and silk velvet for trims

Print & pattern: A scrolling paisley pattern in muted blue tones

Details & trims: Tiny covered buttons, contrast piping, signature bows

Footwear: High chunky platform sandals, fringed sandals

Accessories: Flat shoulder bags, suede tasselled scarves, cord tasselled belts

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Live from... Paris Haute Couture, Day 1

Dior

It is the perfect fit - René Gruau’s drawings for Dior as inspiration, and Galliano’s individual ability to create true couture. The result was a wondrous collection that brought the haute genre right back to its roots. 

The look: Perfect couture
Silhouette: Classic New Look - nipped waists and flared skirts
Key items: Non-matching tailleurs with wide pleated circle skirts or pencil skirts cut just below the knee, and cinched-waist jackets with plunging shawl collars; an emerald-green skirt suit with bateau-neck jacket featuring a puffed peplum; a tulle layered swing coat; signature swagged tops and tailored dresses; strapless bandeau gowns that flare or puff from the waist in clouds of silk or frothy layers of tulle
Colour: Scarlet, fuchsia, emerald and honeyed gold with white.Colour-washed pastels - lemon, sky, mint and candy pink
Fabric & knit: Layered tulle, shantung, washed silk, organza, marabou and ostrich feathers
Print & pattern: Galliano turned his back on print to recreate Gruau’s style in embellishment and decorationDetails & trims: Sequined sketch marks and brush strokes, a micro-beaded diamond pattern, a sprinkled leopard spot in seed-bead embroidery and embroidered flower sprays; appliqué flowers and roses, large covered buttons, degradé effects created by layered tulle, crisp pleats; frothy graduated cascade ruffle hems, balloon hems; sculpted swags, gathers and twists, puffed shoulders and sleeves
Footwear: Peep-toe sandals with criss-cross or double Mary Jane straps
Accessories: Mismatched gloves to coordinate with degradé dresses; sheer gloves, demi veils, alligator-skin wrap belts; Stephen Jones millinery

Giorgio Armani Privé

Two seasons ago, Giorgio Armani travelled to the moon for couture inspiration, and for spring 2011 he was back in space with a collection of galactic girls who looked ready to party at Saturn’s answer to Studio 54. 

The look: A space odyssey
Silhouette: Long, lean and layered
Key items: Leggings worn under dresses and skirt suits, the latter comprising softly pleated tulip skirts and zipped jackets with squared shoulders or edge-to-edge options with cutaway collars; high-waisted flat-front bell-bottom pants worn with silky shell tops and cutaway jackets; caped dresses and cape-sleeved jackets; a jumpsuit with bandage-wrapped torso; split-waist dresses and bandeau column gowns
Colour: Scarlet red, kingfisher and midnight blues, ultraviolet, pistachio green, pearl white and shimmering black - all metallic or iridescent
Fabric & knit: Techno textiles - mirror-effect organza, iridescent gazars, metal-threaded silks, micro-check jacquard, coated synthetics, polished alligator leather, metallic satin
Print & pattern: Broken stripes, degradé effects
Details & trims: Heat-treated and embossed/blistered textures, petrol-shimmer paillettes, beaded fringing, cutaway sections revealing embellished under-layers, caped sleeves
Footwear: Low-cut pointed courts
Accessories: Faceted gemstone bracelets and breast-plate necklaces, resin cuffs, chandelier earrings, long plunging jewelled-fringe necklaces; disc and flying-saucer hats; faceted clutch bags and a small structured handheld shopper in alligator leather

Alexis Mabille

Alexis Mabille played with mirror images and the ideas of light and dark, plain or patterned with a collection comprising 10 exits, each followed by an alternative version.

The look: Seeing double
Silhouette: Floor-sweeping, flared or bias column
Key items: Capri pant suit with short ruffled peplum jacket featuring a bow-back collar; a dipped hem square-cut tabard dress; sheer opera coats; long-sleeved flare-skirted gowns with plunging neckline; a bias one-shoulder maxi tent dress; halterneck fishtail column gowns
Colour: White and black, scarlet, midnight blue; combinations of bois de rose with bordeaux and pine green with sky blue
Fabric & knit: Duchesse, watery silks, organza, lace, chiffon
Print & pattern: A delicate tinted lace gave the illusion of floral print
Details & trims: Satin bows, creeping stem flower appliqués spilling over hems and necklines, caped sleeves, densely embroidered all-over floral in gold with flecks of pastel pink and turquoise on black ground
Footwear: Satin shoes with a lattice-woven toe case
Accessories: Long buttoned gloves, ornate neck duster earrings, knotted belts, clutch bags

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Live From... Paris Fashion Week, Day 5

John Galliano

John Galliano is a designer whose genius is the ability to weave a narrative through his clothes. Unlike any other, he always perfectly encapsulates the essence of a period in time. For spring/summer 2011 he returned to his favoured era, bohemian Paris in the 1920s, with a collection that married modern-day silhouettes with his signature weightless bias cutting and effortless embellishment. 
The look: Bohemian 20s ingenue
Silhouette: Languid, deshabillé layers inspired by Poiret
Key items: The Poiret-style ultra-wide pant was layered with a cropped belted jacket or a slouchy blouson and sporty tank. Trench coats came cropped or were worked in python and taffeta with a hem of scrolling ruffles and a Poiret-inspired painted floral. Sporty parkas were reworked in gazar, and there was a languid salon appeal to the draped kimono coats and soft pyjama pants, while the boudoir came into play with Galliano’s delicate lace skirts, flat bias tiers, lace tops and fluted bias dresses
Colour: A flamboyant palette of clashing brights, with a collage of vivid turquoise, poppy, fuchsia and cobalt, offset with soft washed sky blue and pale sage, deep petrol, ink, black and white
Fabric & knit: A delicious mix of washed leather, python, weightless gazar and chiffon, Chantilly lace, taffeta, satin charmeuse, spotted tulle and silky devoré
Print & pattern: Butterflies and florals were the motifs du jour, worked as all-overs or as placements
Details & trims: Embroidery, crystalline beading, feather trims
Footwear: Vampy high T-bar sandals with contrast platforms
Accessories: Overblown corsages, coloured stockings, fishnets, Edwardiana veils, unstructured high-crown floppy brimmed hats, socks


Givenchy

A hard-edged look at Givenchy, with uncompromising silhouettes played out in a riff of short over long, and solid and sheer fabric mixes - part masculine, part goth-punk-rocker. 
The look: Gothic punk rocker
Silhouette: A lean elongated masculine-feminine silhouette
Key items: Multi-layering created a complex look, but strip away the styling and this was a collection about long, sheer layers under short zippered miniskirts, boxy waistcoats and sleeveless tailored jackets. Sheer tunic shirts teamed with slick flared pants, gilets and tuxedo styling added to the masculine feel, and for evening there were harness-back ruffled breastplate tops with hip-slung skirts or pants
Colour: A flash of grey, crisp white and faux nude alleviated a gothic palette of black on black, played out in nuances of colour through contrasting fabric weights
Fabric & knit: Self-coloured jacquards and cloqué, georgette, chiffon, mesh leopard-patterned devoré, leather and suitweights were worked together in a complex collage of solid and sheer mixes
Print & pattern: Leopardprint ran throughout the collection, used as an all-over, as a self-coloured devoré pattern or as cutout motifs appliquéd on to sheer
Details & trims: Exposed zips traced every piece of the collections, running vertically down the front of sheer tunics, etching side seams, emphasising design details on lean tabard dresses, or snaking horizontally at the hip
Footwear: High strappy sandals with deep ankle straps
Accessories: Long strapped purse bags


Costume National

Punchy colour, clean lines and a believable mix of fluidity and structure made for a no-frills show at Costume National yesterday, where the sheer simplicity of the collection was commercially covetable.
"I took the energy of Pop and the coolness of minimalism and mixed them, leading to strong tailoring and multiple colour chromatics,” Ennio Capasa told WGSN.
The look: The collection was titled Pop Chic
Silhouette: Tailored and minimal
Key items: Shapes were unfussy and graphic - tailored suits arrived with bracelet-length sleeves on jackets and either ankle-cropped treggings or a high-waisted flat-front wide-leg pants. A shorts suit featured a collarless zip-through jacket. Elsewhere there were wrap-over tops tucked into pants, breezy tops with sheer/opaque fabric-blocking, simple V-neck dresses and a series over oversized maxidresses
Colour: An opening passage of beige faux nudes, a finale of black, and a central core of saturated brights in single shades of turquoise, orange, red and royal blue
Fabric & knit: Silk, crepe organza, viscose, sheer nylon, unlined nappa leather
Details & trims: Bracelet-length sleeves, shoulder tabs on outerwear, pale suede waistband details with a Sam Browne stud fastening, halternecks, caped sleeves, fabric-blocking
Footwear: Wooden-heeled cutaway T-bars, three-strap no-platform sandals, cork wedge platforms with asymmetric strap - all in patent leather
Accessories: Round-framed sunglasses with coloured lenses, oversized squashy top-handled bags carried as clutches


Céline 

Phoebe Philo's shows for Céline continue to be one of Paris' hottest tickets, as fashion editors and buyers jostle for a better view of her new-wave minimalism. For summer 2011 those looks continued, but with the addition of crafty texture and prints inspired by vintage foulards. 
The look: Grown-up minimalism with a hint of craft
Silhouette: Largely lean and languid with the occasional oversized cocoon
Key items: Fluid, flat-front, zip-fly, wide-leg pants worn on the hips, teamed with rigid-structure tops such as an elongated sleeveless jacket with baseball-style collar, a long leather tunic, a pullover V-neck top with cutaway collar, or a long-sleeved leather tee with high bateau neckline. Minimal cape-sleeved tailored blazer with cutaway collar and lapel; LBD with wide plunge neckline and two tailored black jumpsuits - one with long sleeves, the other a zip-up halter. The more minimal looks were contrasted with some artisanal pieces including a halter-top and zip-through jacket with a heavily textured crafty weave with tufted wool fringe, or a Japonesque quilted wrap-over sleeveless jacket cinched with an obi-style belt. Slicked leather pieces included a tailored tank and a below-the-knee pencil skirt with wide waistband and coordinating leather belt tied in a small knot. Oversized tees and masculine shirts with long sleeves and wide-open cuffs. Wide-leg zip-fly jeans with flat scrubs-style top
Colour: White, ivory and black were the cornerstone colours, with a singular flash of Céline orange and considered notes of royal blue, bottle green, rich mahogany brown and palest primrose yellow
Fabric & knit: Silk, crisp cottons, bonded cotton twill, linen canvas, denim, slicked and polished leather, and an artisanal weave with chunky patchworked textures and tufted fringe
Print & pattern: Foulard-inspired prints, with colour-blocked edging and central panels of micro repeats, the colour-blocked edging stripes running down pant legs
Details & trims: Contrast-coloured crew necks on T-shirts, orange trouser waistbands, stand-up collars, leather buckled halterneck fastenings, high-cut bateau necklines, quilting, long scarf fringing, zips, canvas webbing straps
Footwear: Strappy tan leather high heels with chain embellishment across the toe strap, sand-coloured ponyskin peep toe sandals
Accessories: Green wrist cuffs, necklaces with metal plaques, minimal bags with a leather thong-and-bead closure, a zip-up pochette, concertina-construction bags


Akris

"The shirt is the most important piece of a summer wardrobe," said designer Albert Kriemler in his show notes. Akris was another brand to riff on the reconfiguring of the white shirt this season - Dries Van Noten, Viktor & Rolf, Céline all proffered similar ideas this week.
"A visit to Japan and the Kyoto gardens made me think of other clothes for summer… more relaxed refinement, more simplicity and more ease,” Albert Kriemler told WGSN.
The look: Crisp summer elegance
Silhouette: Tailored
Key items: The classic shirt was transposed into dresses with misaligned asymmetrical hems, elongated shirts with a dipping hem, or a cocktail dress with strands of chiffon tubing creating a cage-like structure. Classic white shirts with dipping hems and fly-front plackets; two pants shapes, either fluid and wide-legged or narrow-fit straight-cut; full maxiskirts with dipping hemline at the sides; sporty gilets with large fold-over collars or minimal collarless gilets with asymmetric zip closure; wrap-over tops; tailored dresses including a leather shift with cap-sleeves; shorts suits and an off-the-shoulder playsuit; a printed halterneck gown with deep plunging neckline
Colour: Crisp optic white and faux nude with colourful bursts of Seville orange, vivid teal, saturated leaf green; darker tones arrived as navy and pewter
Fabric & knit: Cotton, linen, leather, denim and a host of silks including silk organza, open-mesh silk knits, washed silk, parachute silk and shantung
Print & pattern: Overblown photoreal orchid florals, placement sections on white grounds
Details & trims: Oversized fold-over collars, misaligned asymmetric hems, dipping hems, inverted pleats, zip-open necklines, double-layered jacket details, double spaghetti straps, wrap-over tops
Footwear: Tall closed-toe shoes with rocking platform
Accessories: Oversized squashy bags carried as clutches, small formal clutch bags, minimal colour-coordinated leather waist belts

Alexis Mabille 

It was femininity all the way at Alexis Mabille's latest showing as the designer played with a holiday theme, combining subtle nautical references with full flirty silhouettes and a sunny, summery feel.
The look: A feminine twist on summer resort
Silhouette: Girly-flirty with waist emphasis
Key items: It was girly all the way, with full dirndl skirts, shapely ruffled biker jackets, paper-bag shorts and frilled peplum bustiers. Narrow cigarette-shaped jeans, a drawstring utility dress and a billowing parka added a more sporty touch, but bow-trimmed boat-neck tees, halterneck waisted dresses and frilled gypsy blouses made sure the feminine message wasn't lost along the way.
Colour: An almost monochrome palette of black and white, with greyed denim blue, sand and soft iced pales
Fabric & knit: Satin, glazed cotton, simple cottons, self-stripe jersey, cotton voile, eyelet, delicate Chantilly lace, leather and denim
Print & pattern: A stylised black and white floral print; graphic black and white stripes used as a trim or as an all-over
Details & trims: Nautical lacing details, striped braid, frilled peplums
Footwear: Flower-trimmed laced shooties, ankle-tie sandals
Accessories: Exaggerated fishnets, necklaces in white or turquoise multiple flat stones

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