Paris Fashion Week - not like any other year
The event never fails to amaze and reinvent fashion as it comprises the creme de la creme fashion houses and iconic designers. Summer may have come to an end as Autumn leaves started to dot the streets of the chic city, but the Spring/Summer 2015 collections are here to stay.
Givenchy Ricarrdo Tisci, the designer of Givenchy, finally broke out of the street look, of comfy sweaters and hip-hop inspired looks. His muse for this collection was Joan of Arc, a French heroine, who symbolizes a woman's individuality, strength and status. The models coming down the runway looked like strong, glamorous heroines in their leather pants, sharp cuts and metal stud appliqués. Sticking to black, white and a touch of nude the collection was hands down a crowd favorite this PFW.
Balenciaga Alexander Wang, or named better Alexander the "Great", changed Balenciaga's direction by incorporating sporty elements. By using sharp lines and monochromatic colors he was still able to retain the soft and feminine touch, redefining sport-chic. The calf-length skirts were sheer, the dresses were see-through, with crystal embellishment and draped bustiers. The show was fast-paced and eclectic, but the best thing about the show was that you didn't lose the essence of Balenciaga.
Chloè Chloe has always been a symbol of carefree feminity, and this was ever more prevalent in this season's collection with the Bohemian-eque looks and fresh colors. The yellow flow dress is a must-have this season but so are suede outfits and white panchos that are embellished with lace and embroidery. The collection was dedicated to Gaby Aghion, the founder of Chloe, who passed away a day before the show. We think that the matriarch of Chloe would have been proud of this collection.
Elie Saab The collection was designed with a different vision. The inspiration was "under the sea" filled with digital prints, colors and movement. The dresses came in a kaleidoscope of fabrics, from leather, sequence appliqué to lace. The 70's silhouettes and colors in this collection seemed very different from Elie Saab's previous ones.
Balmain Olivier Rousting this season was inspired by music of the 80's and 90's. Lanvin Lanvin celebrated its 125 years this year. I think Alber Elbaz revisited iconic pieces from previous Lanvin collections. It was an emotional show as some of the models were part of Lanvin's older shows, so it was like watching women of different ages strut their stuff on the runway.
Celine Raw, dynamic, impeccable and wearable, to say the least. Phoebe Philo, the designer of the collection, creates breathable clothes that are unedited and experimental. This season she introduces floral prints infusing a more feminine touch. Pheobe said that her inspiration was the song playing during the show "Women's Work", because it made her feel vulnerable and open to experimentation. Well, whatever her influences were, Celine continues to be a force to be reckoned with in the fashion scene, and one that is clearly causing much hype.
Chanel Karl Lagerfeld decided to take this collection to the streets; he made it younger and stronger, putting the Chanel Girl at the center of the show. The models were parading down the streets of Paris, including Kendell Jenner and Cara Delavinge, holding banners that said "History is her story" and "Tweed is better than tweet". The collection comprised a variety of shapes and cuts, men suits in tweed, polo shirts, jogging pants and fabric boots. If the inspiration was about women's rights around the world then they made their mark on the streets of Paris.
Louis Vuitton Travel through space and time was the theme of the show, and LV, with their designer Nicola Ghesquiere, really took us on a sci-fi journey. Although there were elements of French 60's crossed with modern day London and some preppy looks, LV is trying to find their own DNA and style moving forward. There was an array of quilted biker jackets, white woven dresses and others in black sequins. Of course, no LV show would be complete without their purses. This season was all about denim-eque leather purses with chain straps and the LV signature logo as bold as ever.
Jean Paul Gaultier JPG's show was a 40-minute show that took us on an emotional roller coaster of all his iconic looks over the decades.This season the designer was marking the end of his pret-a-porter career to focus fully on the couture line, and he clearly saved the best for the last.The show was like a beauty pageant made up of five different categories: - Miss Femme de Footballeur (the footballer's wives) - Miss Lucha Libra (the Mexican lady wrestlers) - Miss Smoking - The Certain Age Gals - Miss Rèdactrice du mode (the fashion editor) which included his take on Grace Coddington with her red big hair, Caroline Roitfeld, Suzy Menkes, Franca Sozzani and Emanuelle Alt.
Was that the "mernier" farewell? One thing is for sure, the next PFW will not be the same without this notorious icon. The good news is we get to see his creations in January, Arab News reported.