Streetfashion Womenswear SS2013 Paris Day 3

What are you wearing during the fashionweeks? Your Prada-shoes, your latest Kenzo-sweater or that vintage Gucci? Maybe we’ll spot you in Paris, Milan, New York or Amsterdam. During the fashionweeks we refresh our streetwear posts regularly. We don’t judge, we’re not the fashion-police, we just enjoy fashion and your own personal style. Next stop: Paris Fashionweek, season spring/summer 2013.

Haider Ackermann Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

There are a few reasons to be at a show of Haider Ackermann: to experience his color sense, to see his layered silhouette and to feel the exciting vibe at his beautiful, almost poetic shows.  Again, the belted and peplumed layers returned again and a spoken-word rendition of the Billie Holiday song “The Man I Love” played its pulse and caused goose-pimples.

The colors were nowhere to be seen. Instead of the usual rich hues, Ackermann employed graphic, geometric prints and a stricter palette— black, white, and navy. The first surprise were the polka dots, which decorated a sheer, slipdress worn with  pants in a smaller dot pattern.  But he also mixed  a vertically striped fitted jacket with a draped blouse and full trousers in two different mosaic-tile motifs.
Collage is a big trend this season, but where other designers patchworked individual pieces, Ackermann used whole outfits as his canvas.

Yohji Yamamoto Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

On Friday evening a series of rags represented Yohji Yamamoto’s feeling of destroyed romance. In his collection, full of contradictions and mood swings, the designer showed a certain poetic spirit. His messy haired models walked the runway on flats, dressed in fringed maxi skirts, pants and dresses held together by the slightest pieces of fabrics. After black, khaki and red, it was black again in which veiled models represented some kind of widows. Followed by girls in asymmetrical jackets worn with colorful lurid sheer skirts, revealing their blue shaded panties.

Some eye-catching larger than life jewelery funked things up in the second half of the show. Necklaces that might work for a magazine’s editorial or catch the streetstyle photogs attention outside the shows. Yet not really the kind to hit the office in. The same goes for the clothes, although we can see something beautiful happening with the languid sheer tops and dresses that closed this slightly confusing Yamamoto collection.

 

Chalayan Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

We got quite a feeling of optimism through Chalayan’s spring/summer show. He presented a very light collection of clean, boxy designs. Models sported boxy blouses, dresses and jackets worn with small pants or bare legs to keep them slightly feminine. If Chalayan accentuated the waist, some other part of his creation had to be structured, so playful skirts were mixed with puffy tops. Combined with bright green, yellow, orange and blue all the white felt even more fresh. Used on mesh fabrics and jersey inspired materials looks got a sportive touch as well.

Never one to leave out the headgear Chalayan came up with some extraordinary pieces again. His signature floppy hats were given a sun cap and turned into true summer proof statement pieces. A selection of colourful printed  designs (a print that featured piles of Chalayan’s own clothes) and two black and white evening dresses closed the show. Yes, there were some quirky twists, but the designer perfectly managed to bring them all together in a crispy selection of pretty wearable designs.

 

Maison Martin Margiela Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

Maison Martin Margiela opened with a series of ladylike looks that included skirts with a surprising new length, just around the lower calf. Very chic indeed, although we’re curious how they would portray on an average woman. They were followed by high waisted pants mixed with long, strapless A-line tops. Together with perfectly tailored short sleeved jackets those pants created an elegant modern suit (yet becoming less elegant as Ruby Aldridge wore hers twisted and tied around her upper body).
Two back revealing jumpsuits were added and the focus on sexy stayed at the back for a few more looks. Like a green leather high slit skirt and top or a strapless burgundy dress creation.
The finale of enormous floor length dresses included a jersey T-dress, which could easily have fitted three models in it. But that XXL feeling is what gave the collection it’s twisted elegance. Add a few pairs of those signature gloves and a selection of pretty chic nose rings and you get an idea why Margiela is so unlike any other brand and keeps on doing so well.

Christian Dior Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

Raf Simons surprised the audience with a feminine and refined collection. Almost like a literal clean slate, the show opened with a series of crisp black suits and neck-scarves, before descending into jacket dresses and mini ballgowns.  Styles which Raf Simons described as both “feminine” and “complex” in equal measure. The finale consisted of couture-worthy silhouettes with voluminous printed skirts and skintight black tops. It was beautiful, strange and unusual – so precise but so varied.

Nina Ricci Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

Peter Copping seemed to have turned a new page at Nina Ricci. He added some edge to the normally so soft and feminine label, or, in his own words, brought a bit of London to Paris.

He opened the show with a full black look; a jacket and a skirt underneath which Manon Leloup wore a mesh top and a harness detail. A touch of bondage, yet still chic enough to fit the label’s heritage.

What followed were slightly undefined layered dress with ruffles and fringes in pink, black, navy and a few pastel shades. They had a certain twenties feeling to them, although the models’ waists were too accentuated for that.

Sweet skirt suits and polka dot dresses in shiny gray and nude were funked up by multiple chunky chain necklaces. A sheer polka dot top worn with a playful hairy skirt looked daring.

It seems Copping took the right amount of risk as he made sure he kept everyone’s attention throughout the show, without completely shocking the fashion crowd.

 

First View Paris Womenswear SS2013: the New Sexy

Our first spot on Paris hints at a classical and mature approach towards fashion. Powerful silhouettes in pure black and white. Well known modernist geometry peppered with a swift whiff of sex. Smooth sensual and pure looks that reveal subtle glimpses of skin. All executed with tailored precision.

Expanding on traditional classical beauty and clearly inspired by historical archives but sprayed with modern gloss. Hard edge geometrics and sharp shoulders are softened with curved décolletées, sculptured volants and roomy pleated pants.  Outfits suggest unashamed sex and sensual looseness but are staged with well-calculated sophistication and couture aspiration.

Balenciaga shows icons of sensuality and femininity in lingerie and swimsuit inspired tops matched with high waisted flat pleat pants. Balmain shows hard edge masculinity in broad shouldered power suits covering simple and sexy bandeaus. Carven is truly sculpting in curved sensual tailoring. Where Balenciaga was clearly intrigued by the Antique when shaping this revealing dress with meandering sculpted volants.

Who would ever have thought that the image of the ‘bare midriff’ could be raised up to classical standards?

Stylespot is a colleboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

 

Streetfashion Womenswear SS2013 Paris Day 2

What are you wearing during the fashionweeks? Your Prada-shoes, your latest Kenzo-sweater or that vintage Gucci? Maybe we’ll spot you in Paris, Milan, New York or Amsterdam. During the fashionweeks we refresh our streetwear posts regularly. We don’t judge, we’re not the fashion-police, we just enjoy fashion and your own personal style. Next stop: Paris Fashionweek, season spring/summer 2013.

Rick Owens Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

Rick Owens was in an angelic mood looking at the collection and the clouds that came tumbling down from the catwalk entrance.
The models came in dresses of puffed-out proportions to match those of the clouds behind them – strapless and semi-transparent inflated dresses in soft grey or apricot shades. There were capes that followed in the same vein and further dresses that splayed out from off the shoulder. It was more feminine and light and pretty than we have seen from Rick Owens before.

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