Live From...Paris Fashion Week, Day 2

John Galliano

The swinging sixties art scene played muse to Bill Gaytten's collection for the absent John Galliano, drawing reference from the British artists of the time. But David Hockney and Peter Blake weren’t the only characters referenced via costume yesterday, as the final two models sporting ironed hair and headbands making sure the missing designer was still in the house to take his signature parade down the catwalk.

The look: Pop Art heroes

Silhouette: Loose and layered vs skinny rock chic

Key items: Galliano's Peter Blake character opens the show in eclectic layers of military jackets and coats, silky pyjama pants and graphic tees or Navajo knit tops; there's a bohemian hobo vibe to the T-shirts and waistcoats layered beneath flyaway robe coats and tailored jackets with rustic blanket-stitched edges. David Hockney follows, dressed in schoolboy short-suits, striped knits and shirts styled with floppy bow ties. For the signature underwear passage, Peter Schlesinger plays muse, giving rise to bird-printed silk robes, boxers and pyjamas before the tone turns sharp and sexy for the final section comprising bare-chested evening suits cut in reed-thin silhouettes. There are spray-on satin pants and undone silk shirts, satin-trimmed tuxedos, embroidered waistcoats and a DB pea coat with jet-beaded sleeves

Colour: Military red and navy; a central passage of vivid pastels including mint and pistachio with fresh white; jet and onyx black-on-black

Fabric & knit: Silk, satin, cotton gaberdine, twill, plaid, suede, jersey

Print & pattern: A host of pictorial T-shirt graphics including a horse's head, a photographic portrait and a target with a feather dart; there are bird prints in the intimates section and pyjama stripes, Navajo patterns and light-on-dark dappled effects elsewhere

Details & trims: Red piped military trims, domed military buttons, decorative gold embroideries, black-on-black sequins and beading, blanket stitching

Footwear: Soft structure car shoes, suede slippers, loafers with extreme pointed toes, snaker-boot hybrids

Accessories: Feathered necklaces, beaded necklaces; high-domed hats decorated with a single feather, squashy leather caps, baseball caps; floppy bow ties, blunt-ended ties; Navajo woven belt

Yves Saint Lauren

Stefano Pilati plundered an iconic house statement for his summer menswear offer, playing on the safari styling made famous by Yves Saint Laurent in the 70s. But it wasn't exactly a romp through the archives, as Pilati tempered the reference with an abundance of his own streamlined military-crisp tailoring and minimal detailing.

The look: Modern militia

Silhouette: Lean and crisply tailored

Key items: Signature safari looks give rise to a series of pieces featuring the distinctive criss-cross lacing, decorating pleat-front shorts and necklines, or working as drawstrings slicing through the waist of jackets. Jackets are a core focus for Pilati and variations on the theme throw up a funnel-necked zip-through blouson and matching shacket, a snake-print blouson and a couple of DBs – one cropped, the other collarless with cutaway closures sitting taught across the chest. Coats are cut with military precision, offering a smart 4DB crombie with pleated back detail or a slimline trench coat that features a shaped storm flap similar to one seen in the recent womenswear resort collection. Tailored suits comprise of sharp-shouldered SBs or high-breaking DBs often worn with mismatched pants; trousers are tapered and subtly cropped, while other bottom weights include a tailored cargo pant and wide pleat-front shorts

Colour: A clear and concise palette comprising of ink blue, jet black, white and beige

Fabric & knit: Silk mohair, cashmere and luxury wools, satin, cotton, slicked and polished leather, mesh knits

Print & pattern: A blue and black snakeskin

Details & trims: Peaked lapels, cutaway jacket closures, stand-up collars, criss-cross lacing and drawstrings, perforated cotton

Footwear: Mesh-covered round-toed boots, patent boots with buckle at side, patent or aggressively-coloured snakeskin loafers

Accessories: Cord bracelets, snakeskin belts

Givenchy

Inspired by surf and a trip to Rio de Janeiro, Riccardo Tisci made a giant leap away from his gothic dark prince persona with this collection. Running riot with white, vivid print and a glittering dose of coloured sequins, this was Givenchy at its lightest and brightest yet.

The look: Exotic sport and street

Silhouette: Largely boxy and square cut save for lean slim-legged tailoring

Key items: Tisci continues with the sporty streetwear shapes he's been pedalling for several seasons now – the wide boxy tees, baseball jackets, layered leggings and long-sleeved sweat tops – the latter sometimes arriving in new cropped lengths, but his signature wide shorts (that have popped up repeatedly elsewhere this season) are replaced with pleated A-line wrap skirts that hit the knee. When shorts do arrive they are slimmer and more tailored, while jeans and flat-front pants are straight cut and paired with long-length muscle vests tucked in to create a dipped hem or oversized sequinned sweatshirts. The boxy silhouette is further amplified by square-cut short-sleeved shirts and stiff jean jackets in cotton drill, while Tisci's tailoring took silhouette to a leaner place, with slim-fitting suits with tight narrow pants

Colour: Army greens with crisp optic white and barely there tints of mint and pink; hints of purple and blue brights via prints

Fabric & knit: Khaki drill, cotton, jersey, iridescent gazar, silky sports mesh, all-over sequins

Print & pattern: A spiky bird of paradise graphic print works in large symmetrical mirror-reversed placements that lined up across open jackets and the shirts beneath, also worked as elbow placements, occasional black stars

Details & trims: Sequinned prints, satin lapels

Footwear: Chunky rubber two-strap sandals

Accessories: Lanyards, scythe-shaped earrings, baseball caps, slim ties

Comme De Garcons, Homme Plus

Frills, lace and splashes of pink brought welcome touches of femininity to Rei Kawakubo's Comme des Garçons menswear collection, which played out as an exploration of outerwear with jackets, coats and blazers topping every look.

The look: Coordinated dressing

Silhouette: Straight cut

Key items: Jackets and coats dominate the collection – from hooded duffels and zippered biker-blazer hybrids to DB trenches and crombies, with waistless silhouettes that create a feeling of elongated proportions also echoed in the dress-length shirts that peek out below coat and jacket hems. There are also sleeveless versions of the key outerwear shapes, layered atop shirts and T-shirts decorated with crinkly lettuce-edge frills, those same frills also trickling down suit jacket sleeves and tailored shorts. A final passage of evening looks sees black suits and cutaway frock coats in lace, dressed with matching black lace shirts which are layered atop white tees for contrast

Colour: Black, grey, white, coral pink and red

Fabric & knit: Pinstripe and Prince of Wales suiting, wool blend and satin-finish suiting, gingham, cotton, plasticised synthetics, lace, squashy micro quilted cottons, jersey

Print & pattern: Overprinted chequerboard patterns and pin dots; a variety of chain links, random typography overlaid with handdrawn abstract doodles

Details & trims: Wooden buttons, string and wooden duffel toggles, lettuce-edge frills, pieced constructions, torn effects revealing jacket linings, wide turn-ups, inset shoulder details, flyfront suit jacket closures, biker zips

Footwear: Abbreviated Chelsea boots, blunt-toed casual oxfords and buckled mary janes (flat) all worn with patterned socks

Accessories: High-domed hats, magpie-jewelled crowns and crumpled hats

Junya Watanabe

If the outdoor setting didn’t give the game away, the story became crystal clear after 30 pairs of dungarees. Watanabe often references workwear and for summer 2012 it was the gardener’s uniform that acted as the starting point - complete with patched shirts, Wellington boots and waxed jackets.

The look: Gardener’s World

Silhouette: Comfy casual

Key items: The Watanabe look for next summer is a simple one. 75% of the exits model a pair of dungarees in various colours and cottons in three different styles – classic bib, lowered bib and V-shaped bib, but all with rolled trousers. Layered beneath the dungarees are long-sleeved jersey tees or collared shirts decorated with mismatched patches, a final layer arriving in the form of yard jackets, hooded utility jackets or blazers. Providing occasional deviation from the dungarees are long shorts or patched jeans, the latter in a variety of denim weights, some with white stitching and others with mended patches

Colour: A range of denim blues with pops of red and orange, khaki, stone and olive neutrals

Fabric & knit: Cotton is the cornerstone here – twill, chino, treated or waxed - as casual jersey or poplin shirting; also important is denim – washed, dirtied or raw indigo; leather, melange wools

Print & pattern: Shirting stripes, paisley, plaid and checks, micro gingham, Breton stripes, overdyed treatments

Details & trims: Patches including elbows and patch pockets, denim or corduroy jacket collars, drawstrings, utility pockets, buttoned pockets, metal clip fastenings, back cinch tabs, leather plackets

Footwear: Duck boots, Wellingtons, sturdy walking boots

Accessories: Gardener's hats, baseball caps, neckerchiefs

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Tisci in at Dior with Roitfeld? Elbaz still mentioned, MacGibbon axe rumours continue

Rumours have reached fever pitch around Riccardo Tisci with confirmation that he will take over from John Galliano at Dior expected imminently. LVMH has refused to confirm his appointment so far but, significantly, has not denied that he will move from his current role at Givenchy.
An immediate announcement of Galliano's successor is believed to have been prevented by French employment law which demands a strict process when an employee is fired.
Italian-born Tisci, who trained at London's Central Saint Martins, has stamped his style on Givenchy in recent years and has become a red carpet choice for many A-list celebrities. Tisci, 35, has only said that he is happy in his current post and has not commented on stories that ex-Vogue Paris editor Carine Roitfeld will be his stylist at the label.
Alber Elbaz, who has proved a major success at Lanvin in the years since he lost his YSL post, has also been tipped for the post, and his name is being more actively discussed today after some Lanvin staff were spotted crying yesterday. However, WGSN believes Elbaz is a perfect fit for Lanvin and still has much to do to expand that label. Meanwhile, rumours continue to swirl around Hannah MacGibbon with speculation her Chloe contract will not be renewed. Critics appear divided over the strength of her autumn/winter 2011/12 collection.

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Live From... Paris Fashion Week, Day 6

John Galliano

It all could have been reduced to limpid clothes hung forlornly on rails, but as if saying thank you for everything up until the implosion, Sidney Toledano - present in person - brought to life the presentation of Galliano’s fall collection in an intimate salon-style show. The grandeur of the setting - gilt furnishings, draped red velvet, huge floral arrangements, twinkling chandeliers and the intoxicating scent of Galliano’s Diptyque candles - may have evoked the presence of the designer, but the quietness that stilled the room brought appreciation and sadness in equal measure.

The look: 1930s couture

Silhouette: Nipped waists and blouson volume, languid bias drapes for evening

Key items: Expertly cut tailleurs consisting of cropped, nipped-waist tweed jackets - one with wool-fringed cuffs and a taffeta puff-ball skirt, another in houndstooth with a sexy cutaway back teamed with a latex pencil skirt. That subversive Galliano twist followed through to a black latex trench coat with organza back panel, layered over a short lacy slip dress. Coats included a ruffle-fronted wrap in plaid tweed, a cream cocoon with tall fur collar, and a lace-trimmed kimono coat in the palest jade-green silk. Signature diaphanous gowns in delicate sheers arrived for evening, including two halterneck options and a black-sleeved gown embellished with jet beads and wispy marabou fringe

Colour: Grey, black, cream and warm mink brown, with jade and emerald greens, lilac and amethyst, bois de rose and palest boudoir pink

Fabric & knit: Slubby tweeds including micro houndstooth, latex, taffeta, organza, chiffon, silk, luxe furs and marabou

Print & pattern: Shattered abstract on sheer, a stencilled paisley teardrop as a placement border, a floral of X-rayed roses

Details & trims: Exposed backs, wool fringing, covered buttons, arrow-head appliqué on sheer, illustrative stitch quilting, lace trims, bows, marabou fringe, fur collars, jet beading, micro embroideries

Footwear: Multi-strapped heels with ankle straps linked with padlocked chains and fine brogue punching

Accessories: Multi-strand chain belts decorated with heart-shaped padlock charms

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Galliano fired by Dior

John Galliano’s 15-year reign as the creative head of luxury fashion house Christian Dior is over. The LVMH-owned brand sacked its star designer today following further allegations of racist rants.

Galliano, who had been suspended late last week after an altercation in a Paris cafe shortly before fashion week started, has denied all allegations against him and has launched legal action in his defence.
However, videos purporting to show him making racists comments have been circulating online and made his firing ever more likely.

In a short statement, Dior CEO Sidney Toledano, criticised “in the strongest terms” Galliano’s words and actions “which are in total contradiction with the essential values that have always been defended by the Christian Dior house.”

Dior has “immediately suspended relations” with Galliano and begun “dismissal procedures,” as a result of a video obtained by a UK tabloid newspaper apparently showing the designer saying in a slurred voice that “I love Hitler” and other anti-Semitic comments.

Galliano is still believed to be under police investigation for the incident. Dior did not comment on whether it would show Galliano’s autumn/winter 2011/12 later this week. Actress Natalie Portman, who recently signed a contract to be the face of the Miss Dior Chérie perfume, said in a statement: “In light of this video, and as an individual who is proud to be Jewish, I will not be associated with Mr Galliano in any way.”

Galliano’s lawyer, Stéphane Zerbib, has not commented about the video but so far has said his client denies all accusations and has questioned the motives of a second complainant who has made claims of an earlier racist incident.

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Live From... Paris Menswear, Day 2

Junya Watanabe

Never brash or showy, JunyaWatanabe’s quiet sensibility led to a strong and focused collection of reworkedmenswear staples, such as short duffels in slicked leather, Fair Isle-patternedblazers and cropped trousers that had the all the comfort and casualness of ajogging pant.

The look: A mix of collegiatetailoring and rustic outerwear

Silhouette: Ankle-swingingtrouser lengths, neatly fitted torsos

Key items: Croppedtrousers, either tailored or jogging-pant casual, worn with separate 2 or 3SBblazers in tweed, wool, Fair Isle or even cable knits; collegiate double-striperaglan sleeve cardigans both buttoned and zip-through; white collar shirts withclipped and rounded collars; classic outerwear items such as pea coats,duffels, wind cheaters and quilted puffa jacket

Colour: Black and inky navy blue,warm red, cream and flinty greys; a muted secondary palette of khaki and muddybrowns with plum

Fabric & knit: Double-facewool, slubby wools, Donegal tweed, flannel, slicked finish leathers, darkdenim, cotton shirting, waterproofed cottons, buffalo check linings, heritagefabrics including herringbone with over woven windowpane check, houndstooth,plaid

Print & pattern: Wovenpatterns including banded Fair Isle, Argyle diamonds, plaids and tartans

Details & trims: Splicedribbed knit shawl collars, contrast patch pockets; shoulder and elbow patches

Footwear: Tasselled loafers, lace-upderbys, deep-tread deck shoes and desert boots

Accessories: Bakerboy caps in buffalo check, cord or tweed; trilbys

Kris Van Assche

Taking the idea of thetraditional suit and trying to turn it into something younger and more urban is the aim of Kris Van Assche’s latest collection.

The look: Urban minimalism

Silhouette:Elongated lengths or oversized proportions juxtaposed with blocky, square-cuttailoring

Key items: Signaturelong-rise pants with a soft and generously cut leg alternating with a slimmerstraight-cut pant for more tailored looks; oversized sweaters and elongatedcardigan coats; cocoon-shaped zip-through coats with dropped sleeveheads andexaggerated fold-over polo neck; tailoring is squared but slim, with minimaljackets featuring collars that morph into scarves, part zipped-part buttonedclosures or completely concealed flay-fronts; square-cut ribbed knit gilets arelayered over tailored jackets

Colour: Strictly black, charcoal,slate and camel with crisp white shirts

Fabric & knit: Denseflat surface wools, fine wool suiting, cotton shirting, subtle plaids and thickribbed knits

Print & pattern: Dark,tone-on-tone plaid checks

Details & trims: Droppedsleeveheads, spliced sleeves, horizontal banded and spliced knit, concealedclosures, silver zips, exaggerated protective polo necks

Footwear: Round-toed boots with sidelace details

Accessories: Oversizedbags worn across the body on elongated straps

Comme des Garçons

A darkened room only serves to heighten the mashed-upeccentricity of Rei Kawakubo’s dandy guys, dressed in layers of patternedjacquard, silky robe coats, Chaplin-esque shrunken jackets and wide swingingpants all finished with a mop of curly hair.

The look: Eccentric decadence

Silhouette: Longlayers, loose fits

Key items: Widepants shapes are de rigueur – from palazzo and pyjama styles to super-widedenim jeans and buttoned-cuff harem derivatives; shawl-collared blazers arepinched across the chest, flaring downward with cutaway closures; gaudy silkshirts, foppish ruffle-front shirts and long-length patterned shirts leftuntucked are layered beneath, as are graphic-logo band tees; cotton outerwearis unstructured and crumpled; elongated DB overcoats reaches the shin whilesilky robe coats are offered for evening

Colour: Jet black, washed black,smoky greys, yellow-toned khaki, dark denim blue and pops of red

Fabric & knit: Aplethora of patterned jacquards – floral, paisley, coin spotted; silk, lurex-shotpinstripe, crumpled and washed cottons, dark-dye Japanese denim, washed T-shirtjersey, soft felted wool

Print & pattern: Bandtee graphics, spliced scarf prints, signature polka dots

Details & trims:On-trend spliced sleeves, frilled shirt sleeve cuffs and collars

Footwear: Smooth plain boots withdeep tread, two-tone formal spectator lace-ups with broguing

Givenchy

 

Riccardo Tisci has been playingwith streetwear silhouettes for several seasons now, but for next winter thosesame wide-cut shorts and baseball jackets take a darker turn, emblazoned withvicious rottweilers and trompe l’oeil chains. This is perhaps his way ofcommenting on the violent gang culture penetrating the youth scene at themoment, the blood red roses framing the runway a further reminder that deathlies at the end of this tragic pathway.

The look: Fierce streetwear

Silhouette: Widecut and boxy

Key items: Streetwearstaples including baseball blousons, puffa jackets and fur-hooded bodywarmers,sweatshirt tops, oversized tees, wide-fit shirts and the signature wide shortsTisci has favoured recently; tailoring arrived as 2SB suits with flat-front pantswith turn-ups and spliced sleeve 3SB Crombie coats

Colour: Black, bitter chocolatebrown, inky midnight blue and cosmetique nude

Fabric & knit: Densewool, crisp cotton, sweatshirting, jersey, smooth waxy leathers, even plaids,beaver fur

Print & pattern: Rottweilergraphics as single placement motifs, composition border prints or worked intobandana-style scarf prints with stars; trompe l’oeil knit stitch and chainborders

Details & trims: Splicedsleeves, zipped shoulders on sweatshirts, popper fastenings

Footwear: Thick white-soled hi-topstrainers and knee-high lace-up boots

Accessories: Hosiery,felted caps, rucksacks, punk-goth belts with spike and ring hardware, bandanascarves with dog fang placement graphics, black thick-rimmed opticals

John Galliano

Rudolf Nureyev is John Galliano’s romanticised poster boy thisseason, as he tracks him from Russia to Europe, from ballet studio to stage.

The look: Russian ballet dancer

Silhouette: Chaoticallylayered

Key items: as if telling the story,the opening passage is the escape from Russia wrapped up in bulky great coats,thick ribbed-knit leggings or long-rise pants cropped on the knee and shrunkenpoor boy jackets; then Nureyev arrives in the West in slim-legged tailoredpants worn with neat DB Crombies and duffel coats before hitting the studio insecondskin ribbed knits and semi-sheer fine-gauge cardigans and vests, paddedpaper-bag-waist shorts and tapered pants; the final passage has a costumic feelwith fluid printed-silk pants, tie-waist shirts, decorative gilets andembellished sleeveless jackets, as well as a quilted satin and velvet smokingjacket

Colour: Dense greys, sooty blacks,pine green, rich plum and white

Fabric & knit: Leather,shearling, beaver, ponyskin, brushed yarn looped wool, heavy duty wools andfelts, checked wool suiting, classic pinstripe, velvet, watery silks,fine-gauge ribbed knits, a Russian-style floral intarsia

Print & pattern: Floraland fruit prints

Details & trims: Russian-inspiredgold thread embroideries and trims, fringed beading, lace appliqué, quilting,pieced leathers, paper-bag waists

Footwear: Tall pull-on boots insmooth plain leathers, scruffy red-laced work boots

Accessories: Chunkywool-fringed socks and gloves, legwarmers, thick knitted hats, printed silkscarves, turbans, a fox fur fat with tails, black aviator glasses with built-upbridges, military brooches

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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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