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

Read more »

Live From... Paris Fashion Week, Day 4

Christian Dior

            

There was no denying the emotional charge at Dior yesterday, from theatmospheric set – an ornate salon with ice-dusted mirrors bathed in an eerieblue light – to Sidney Toledano’s loaded speech, and the ensemble of atelierswho replaced the disgraced designer John Galliano for the final bow. Even thecollection seemed to lack the usual spirit, despite baring obvious Gallianohallmarks. This was a sad swan song for Galliano, perhaps best articulated bythe long and lingering kiss the final model blew out into the cold Parisianair. “The heart of the House of Dior, which beats unseen, is made up of itsteams and studios, of its seamstresses and craftsmen,” said Sidney Toledano.“What you are going to see now is the result of the extraordinary, creative andmarvellous efforts of these loyal, hardworking people.”

The look: Highway men and fair maidens

Silhouette: Flirty fit-and-flare, largely short and swingy

Key items: As ever with Galliano a historical influence is key,transpiring here as bow-trimmed knickerbockers and short pouffy bloomer shorts,sweeping maxi capes and coats, and off-the-shoulder velvet tops and dresses.But putting costume aside, there were short-and-swingy full or pleated skirtstopped with neat tailored jackets or flared princess coats, and oversizedT-shirt tops including one in pink-dyed python. Looks were also layered withfluffy fur or feathered jackets, and shrug-on hand-knit cardigans, whileflounces of tiered ruffles for baby-doll dresses and blouses added signatureromance. The deshabillé finale comprised typically negligée-inspired dresses inembroidered, tiered or millefeuille ruffled sheers

Colour: Intense Prussian blue with rich bordeaux red, loden greenand charcoal black; fresh skin pinks, a burst of canary yellow and a finale ofpoudré pales – sky, peach,boudoir pink, seafoam green, periwinkle and nude

Fabric & knit: Textured tweeds, bouclé, woolly plaids andtapestries; lustrous changeant velvet, taffeta and patterned jacquards;cashmere, pointelle knits, ribbon-threaded hand knits; soft leather, suede,luxe furs, pink-dyed python; watery silks, negligéesheers of chiffon, organza and tulle

Print & pattern: Flocked florals on taffeta, dainty creepingfloral stem on pale ground, micro repeats, diffused woven plaids

Details & trims: Plissétiers, lettuce-edge ruffles, bubble hems, balloon sleeves, a squared bib-front,capes and storm flaps on outerwear; tape trouser stripes, lace-insert stripes;beaded fringing, jet beading, twinkling micro embroideries, marabou-featherfronds, decorative ribbon running stitch

Footwear: Signature platform boots with buckled details - in ankleor over-the-knee lengths, multi-strap sandals with bows

Accessories: Floppy-brimmed fedoras, long knitted sleeves with furcuffs, fox-fur collars/stoles, fabric cuffs with cabochon stones; squashyunstructured leather bags, the Miss Dior in ridged suede or overstitchedmulticoloured tweed, small formal bags with chain straps

Lanvin

            

Alber Elbaz’s latest collection for Lanvin was the sum of two parts,with strict minimal tailoring morphing into full-blown romantic femininity,like a flower blooming after a long, austere winter, as his colour paletteshifted gear from deep monastic darks into warm, sun-filled brights.

The look: From winter into spring

Silhouette: The contrast of short and geometrically structured withminimal straight lines, to short and softly rounded

Key items: An opening passage of minimal tailoring came with simplerectangular shapes based on the collarless ¾ coat, the tunic and simpleknee-length skirt, all sporting horizontal seam lines and rounded shoulderlines.Short capes added a structured sense of volume, along with the floaty capesleeves on simple shift dresses and tops. Just-seen zips and reed-thin metal trimswere the only details apart from the collection’s extravagant jewellednecklaces and pins. The pace changed, as Elbaz introduced puffballs of gazarflowering at the shoulderline of a skinny knitted tube dress, that same corollaeffect appearing as a beautifully etched rose motif, worked as a placement oran all-over print. And slowly the colours warmed and the fabrics grew lighter,blossoming into a finale of couture-like pleats and graceful folds onflower-coloured cocktail dresses

Colour: A monastic palette of black and inky blue with grey,morphing through caramel and chestnut to vivid poppy, marigold, fuchsia andazalea pink

Fabric & knit: Fluid cashmeres for tailoring, leather,calfskin, broadtail, silk, snakeskin, silk gazar, lace, cloqué, satin

Print & pattern: A monochromatic rose print worked as aplacement motif or as an all-over repeat. A black and white spot pattern

Details & trims: Minimalist metal edging on tailoredsilhouettes, highlighting a front edge or pocket seam

Footwear: Flat mannish slip-ons, double ankle-strap heeled pumps,zipped ankle boots, long knee-length boots

Accessories: Dramatic rose-shaped necklaces, cuffs and brooches,sprinkled with gemstones; broad-brimmed felt hats, long gloves, intricateConstructivist collars

Roland Mouret

            

Roland Mouret expanded hisrepertoire this season, getting back into his stride adding casual jackets,some great pant shapes, easy coats and sumptuous furs to his roster ofsignature dresses. This season the latter took on a new more languid appealwith longer fluid silhouettes.

The look: Elegant femininity

Silhouette: Elongated and fluid

Key items: This season’s dresses came in elongated proportions,fluid skirts falling from a softly defined waist and alleviated by soft splithem details, with bodices featuring the designer’s signature manipulated dartsand seams or a gentle fan of pleats at the neckline. Longer pencil skirts tookthis almost vintage look to the max, teamed with military-style blousons for anew masculine/feminine appeal. Full-legged mannish pants and simple shirtsbrought a sporty tailored mood into play, along with soft shorts and leanmelanged knits. Shorter dress silhouettes bucked the languid mood before ashow-stopping evening gown in emerald green crepe de chine, its flirtybias-ruffled front traced with a snaking bronze zip

Colours: A subdued palette of olive, grey and black punctuated withrich brights – think old gold, grenadine, cornflower blue and emerald

Fabric & knit: Slubby tweed, pinstripe wools, bonded jersey, cashmere,self-coloured brocade, feathered fox

Print & pattern: A small-scale micro floral in black and white

Details & trims: Manipulated darts and seams, fan pleats at theneck of soft dresses and blouses, applied crystal trims, ribbed welts onblouson jackets

Footwear: Classic high-heeled T-bars

Issey Miyake

            

In a day of departures, creative director Dai Fujiwara stepped downfrom the helm at Issey Miyake. But there was no scandal and no fanfare, just asimple rondo played out on three pianos, slowly building as the collectiongathered pace. Opening with an installation performance, where assistantsfolded widths of paper tape into the templates of five pieces, they were thenjoined on stage with the fabric versions. It was a quiet insight into the conceptand underpinning work behind the winter collection.

The look: Conceptual construction

Silhouette: Blouson volume with peaked points and handkerchiefdrapes

Key items: Naturally for a winter season, outerwear was a key focus,and included a pair of slim-fitting tailored coats in zigzags or the blendedhoundstooth/herringbone jacquard, padded coats and jackets with a high neckcreated from an in-built scarf detail, a couple of soft-structure coats – onewith a caped layer and wide sleeves, the other a slouchy leather wrap coat. Wealso saw a series of cropped jackets, boleros or mini gilets in various formsincluding padded, in signature Miyake micro pleats or as a simple waist-knottedshirt. Blouson pants with outwardlypeaked points at the thigh were also transposed into bloomer-like shorts, whiledress options included a simple dropped-waist jersey dress with a zigzaggedtape-ribbon skirt and a halterneck pieced together with point-hung handkerchiefsquares

Colour: Tonal greys with solid black, Kelly green, poppy red, royalblue and burnt orange, with tan and butterscotch-coloured leathers

Fabric & knit: Silk, padded ciré, wool, tartan, cotton, suppleleather, stretchy mesh knit, coarse canvas, organza sheers andhoundstooth/herringbone jacquards

Print & pattern: The key pattern was inspired by Escher’s work Verbum,resulting in an overblown and pixellated houndstooth check that morphs into atulip pattern and then into herringbone. A further mix of prints and weaves includedzigzags, geometric knits, a scratch print, painterly strokes and a grayscaleblurred effect

Details & trims: Folded peplums, handkerchief squares hung onthe point

Footwear: Chunky clog boots and shoes

Accessories: Mesh knit leggings, degradé or patterned hosiery; widebelts made of patent-leather-interlocked paillettes; faux-fur sleeves andmatching snood

Maison Martin Margiela

            

After last season’s stiff sandwich boards and tongue-in-cheek sun-tanlines, the latest offer from MMM was something more - dare we say it? - understandable.This time the concept was a build-up of layers, which were partly revealed whenunzipped or peeled away, but putting this modular dressing aside for a moment,there was a new softer element of note, with ditsy floral prints, sensualdrapes and a delicate lace print.

The look: Conceptual layering

Silhouette: Deconstructed layers and peel-away panels, largelycolumnar silhouettes

Key items: While the show was meant to be an exploration of thedress, the collection offered much more than that, with knitted twinsets,maxiskirts paired with casual sweatshirts, biker jackets and coats withdetachable panels, and, of course, the aforementioned dresses. To be precise,they were coat-dresses that unzipped at the sides or peeled away from poppersat the front to reveal glimpses of other items layered underneath, such asshifts, midi skirts or spaghetti-strapped tops. Elsewhere there were softlydraped dresses that looked particularly fresh for the label, as did the silkT-shirt dress printed with a delicate trompe l’oeil lace trim

Colours: Rich plum, cranberry, papal purple, pine green, grey andsky blue

Fabric & knit: Wool, felt, velvet, super-glossy patent leather,bonded neoprene, jersey sweatshirting, silk, Lurex, rabbit, shaved mink

Print & pattern: Dainty florals, trompe l’oeil lace

Details & trims: Long coordinated belts, sheer overlays, lowscooping backs, zip slits, uneven slouchy drapes, long plissé, detachable panels

Footwear: Sock boots comprised stockings pulled over shoes, whichfeatured a detached sole and shoe

Accessories: Elongated clutch bags, fold-over clutch bags; earcuffs, gold knuckle-duster rings; long unzipped gloves with the sleeve hangingloose

Vivienne Westwood

            

In an emotionally charged day in Paris, Vivienne Westwood brightenedforlorn fashion souls with an incredibly upbeat show full of glitter, sequinsand bursts of gold confetti. Her aim was to present strong women who werecapable of carrying her political torch, hence the military helmets, Kabukiwarrior-style make-up and lashings of gold, which she said resembled “powerfulgodliness”. “At first there was no colour because I just wanted strong shapes, andfor people to concentrate on the clothes, but then I added gold because it is astory about the triumph of women, and gold symbolises the gods, bringing uscloser to the power of Olympus,” said Westwood.

The look: Fierce femininity

Silhouette: Slouchy blouson volume, signature swags and drapes

Key items: Pants were loose and slouchy with a twisted fit, whichfollowed through to signature swagged dresses, this time updated with sleevesin mismatched lengths. Skirts were typically either pencils or tulips, and wereworn as part of a nipped-waist tailleur, or with poplin blouses featuringpeaked shoulders and leg-of-mutton sleeves and ruffled jabot. Elsewhere therewere wrap-around maxis and midi skirts with paper-bag waists, teamed withcommercial tops or sweatshirts and some red-carpet-worthy gowns, including anuncharacteristically simple one-shouldered black option and a full-on goldsequinned bandeau column

Colour: Gold, gold and more gold, with nuances of fawn, warm mink,creamy beige, faux nude and soft peach, with tonal, dirtied or dusted greys andpunchy hits of fiery orange and cool turquoise

Fabric & knit: Herringbone bouclé tweed, wool, hand knits in marled yarns, classic pinstripeand simple cotton poplin, printed velvet, taffeta, silk, tulle, jacquards,all-over gold sequins, painted denim, metallic coated foils

Print & pattern: Baroque florals, a fiery red Aztec pattern,mosaic print with primitive figure, hand-drawn stripes, stylised leopard spots,heraldic bird graphic in a silhouette placement

Details & trims: Random jacquard pockets placed on rustic knitsweater, bubble-shaped crinoline, trailing scarves, paper-bag waists, lashingsof gold sequins, embroidered coin spots, mismatched sleeve lengths, exaggeratedleg-of-mutton sleeves and peaked shoulders

Footwear: Gold and silver sequinned courts and ankle boots withmetal kitten heel, over-the-knee boots in pieced brocade

Accessories: Baguette clutch in croc, wide printed canvas shopper,gold sequinned rucksack; gold and diamanté bijoux jewellery including cuffs, ornate necklaces andoversized earrings; military-esque cloche helmets

Yohji Yamamoto

            

The upcoming V&A retrospective of Yohji Yamamoto’s 30 years at thehelm of fashion’s avant-garde could have been a clue to the concept behind hisautumn/winter showing, as the ever-young designer moved seamlessly between 80spunk references and his signature historical romantic sensibility.

The look: Deshabillé punkEdwardiana

Silhouette: Elongated and tubular contrasted with subtle hourglass

Key items: The mesh tube dress underpinned the collection, as thedesigner added and subtracted sheer flower-patterned overlayers, bunchy pleatedskirts, fluttering asymmetric-hemmed tunics, cutaway corsets, punky knits andwaisted hourglass coats. A more romantic sensibility came into play with hoopedcrinoline skirts, caught up to reveal ravaged lace hosiery or cut away intoskeletal formations, that same romantic mood moving through to a collection ofasymmetric LBDs, ruffled and pintucked, and worn with Edwardian-styled shouldercapes

Colour: A focused palette of black, grey and khaki, with vividaccents of grenadine and blood red

Fabric & knit: Sheer meshes, mesh jersey, tulle, georgette,silk, canvas, sturdy wools, leather, velvet and lace, punky loosely structuredknits

Print & pattern: A monochromatic flower motif worked as overblownscale placements, a tie-dye-effect placement and a concentric spot pattern, allon sheers and mesh

Details & trims: Asymmetric hems

Footwear: Sturdy laced military boots in black, grey or red

Accessories: Intricate lace, mesh or printed hosiery, long gloves

Isabel Marant

            

Isabel Marant continued to mine Americana influences for herautumn/winter showing, drawing on North American Navajos and life on the GreatPlains, with her borrowed-from-the-boys denim and cocooning outerwear shapes.It was commercial and it was well conceived, but it seemed to miss the beatthat is underscoring next season’s trends.

The look: Cowgirls and Indian squaws

Silhouette: Cocooning versus body-con

Key items: Oversized outerwear had a borrowed-from-the-boys feel,with big cocooning parkas and mannish jackets layered over a parade of denimpatchwork shirts and jeans, nylon puffas and cabled or Navajo-patterned fringedknits. Vividly coloured Lurex body-con dresses added a more sexy vibe, alongwith wrapped sweater dresses, maybe to team with a sleeveless tuxedo jacket fora masculine/feminine vibe. A photoreal feather print and suede fringed Pocahontasdresses were perhaps an Indian squaw look too far, but the jeans andpatchworked cabans should keep Marant fans happy next season

Colour: All shades of denim blue with winter white, grey and accentsof pine, electric blue, red and navy

Fabric & knit: Cocooning shearlings, goat, mannish tweeds andblanket wools will stave off those prairie winds, layered over suede, crochetknits, puffa nylons, Lurex knits and embroidered lace-like mesh

Print & pattern: Navajo-inspired motifs as prints andembroidery placements; a photoreal feather print

Details & trims: Fringing details, patchwork

Footwear: Wedged runkled knee-high boots with flaying fringes

Accessories: Feather pendant necklaces

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