Commes des Garçons Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear SS2016

Rei Kawakubo always have been part of the most fearless designer pact. And that’s what she showed today, adding another show in her range of extremely challenging and extravagant collections. Will we see anything recognizable as clothes? Not much. It was big, weird, in-your-face and anything but commercial. We were looking at monumental sculptural creations in deep and icy blues, based on her theme ‘blue which’. But is it a good or bad which? We weren’t sure. The big red plasticised afro’s covering the models faces, and black painted doll lips were kind of frightening. Same goes for the voluminous garments, that seemed to be a lot of everything, but we were actually looking at a black large coat with white cotton ruffles all the way down the front, a black shiny velvet coat, a pleated black wool and velvet coat-dress or an ice blue and navy dress with exaggerated sleeves. It was the cascade of marabou feathers that gave the harsh looks a softer and more playful touch. The idea behind all those layers and volumes was turning the clothes into a refuge from the world in times of crisis; a place where we can safely bury ourselves and where we can be who we want to be. When we have such a space in which to reflect, we remember who we are and what we value. Something Rei Kawakubo knows by heart. It may not be commercial and wearable, but Commes des Garcons has grown against all odds into an independent worldwide multibrand.

Junya Watanabe Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear SS2016

From what planet did these models came from? Or is this future Africa? We weren’t quite sure. The collection, which was represented at the Paris museum of the history of immigration, showed us oversized neckbands, wild animal (lace)prints on dresses and a whole range of beautiful bold colours: bright yellow, royal blue, olive green, orange, white. It definitely felt fresh en summery. The animal printed capes hanging over their shoulders and the voluminous draping and folding around the body, we would almost forget we were still in Paris. Although the cornerstone of the collection was the shirtdress, seen in almost every look, we were slightly distracted and still in awe of the spacious head creations (could this be the avant-garde sister of Marge Simpson?) and futuristic tribal jewellery. The big rubber belts and hoops around the models necks, XXL bracelets anchored the sleeves of some shirtdresses or a harness around the chest made out of black patent leather. Although it wasn’t quite clear what the exact message of this collection was, it was quite refreshing to be looking so much forward in time, instead of looking on history repeating itself over and over again. To quote Anna Wintour in The September Issue: “Fashion isn’t about looking back. It’s always about looking forward.”

Christian Dior Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear SS2016

Ask bad girl gone good and Dior muze Rihanna to come visit your show (and hoping she’ll be on time) and you know it will get crazy. And so it did. The paparazzi was all over her, while she was attending the red carpet in a pale pink oversized coat from the Haute Couture Fall 2015 collection.

But equally so important was the palpable question that hung above everyone’s head: What kind of exterior would Raf Simons come up with this time? It was everything to express a spring season in full bloom: a sea of blue posies against a crispy white backdrop. Although ‘the sun’ wasn’t properly positioned in the sky, it gave us the first tingles of spring. And it got even better when the models walked down the runway. The collection had to be simple and calm. Drifting away from the embellishments, bright colours and classic hourglass dresses. And thus he presented us ultra wearable clothes; little shorts, cute tops, scalloped hems, chiffon and pleats, smart tailoring, thrown-on parkas and a mainly black and white colour scheme. And if you looked really closely you could see the tight scarves and chokers, with jewels and metal tags, that nodded back to ‘1947’, the date when Dior presented its revolutionary New Look collection for the first time. Not to mention those bags, that got us women trembling for some Dior in our closets. Previous collections may have been more revolting and spectacular, but never underestimate the power of simplicity and calmness. We have this feeling this was probably the much needed silence before the shopping storm.

Rick Owens Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear SS2016

It’s probably the most talked about show this fashion week episode. Because what happened at the Rick Owens show? Did we just really see women on women? How? And why? It’s definitely not the first time Owens presented us the unexpected, remembering the African-American dancers or the penis exposure. On Twitter and Facebook it was exploding (#rickowens). Cosmopolitan magazine headlined ‘Models 69 on the runway at Rick Owens’ and The Guardian called it ‘human backpacks and full-frontal nudity.’ What could this possibly mean in this crazy fashion world?

Women upside down, doubling up on limbs, their bodies harnessed to other women. It looked pretty weird and intense. No wonder Owens chose gymnasts and dancers to be his models. Soon enough we came to understand it was all about women nourishing and supporting each other. There was the idea of birth, of women creating new life. Translating this into a sartorial way, Owens is referencing what Leigh Bowery did decades ago, in 1994. It may be old hat, though still enough to get people completely surprised. But through all the theatre, we saw some actual fashion we really liked. The asymmetric lines and draperies against the sharp, cut-away coats. Loose or body-con sportswear against soft fabrics like silk and organza. And his signature black and white color palette was expanded with quite some beige, hints of bright orange and silver and grey tones. The American-born, Paris-based designer may be known for his radical collections and unexpected show elements, but his sense of fashion is still with a capital F.

Dries van Noten Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear SS2016

When attending a Dries van Noten catwalk show, you can expect two things: there will be lots of colour and there will be even more prints and textures. And you’ll probably gonna like it big time. It’s what we call the magic of Dries. He has been putting a spell on us for many seasons and it doesn’t seem to stop. Do we mind? Not a bit.

Flamboyant, bold, impulsive, vivacious, observant, infatuated, jubilant, kinky, fearless, flirtatious, those were some of the show notes expressing the feeling of this spring collection very precisely. At first sight it was a very feminine collection, with the bra tops, tulle baby-doll dresses, lots of sheer fabrics, brocade and jacquard, ruffles and many 1940’s en 50’s silhouettes and references like the sunglasses and arm length gloves. Van Noten added sparkly embroideries and sequins on to the already shiny fabrics and exuberant prints. The clashing colours such as mustard, purple, hot pink, orange and gold didn’t hurt our eyes at all. It was the rock ‘n roll victory hair roll (a Gwen Stefani No Doubt kinda style) and layering that gave it the unexpected and less serious twist, like the bra tops and blouses worn over tattoo-print sleeves and tulle tucked underneath bra’s. The double-breasted jackets, oversized blazers, slouchy trousers with exaggerated bows and some hands in the pockets gave it a more manly touch, to balance it out in that tangible Dries van Noten way. This is a woman well aware of her femininity and elegance, but she never likes to play it completely safe. On the contrary, this was the perfect dress up party.

Chloe Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear SS2016

What would happen if you mix up western and 90’s grunge-era influences with sporty vibes? Well, you get the Chloe look of spring 2016. It’s like putting together Kate Moss and Courtney Love with the girl from the prairie; sounds like an odd combination, but somehow it works perfectly fine. The result is an interesting mix of its signature bohemian chic hit pieces such as airy maxi dresses -off-shoulder and halter neck-, printed tunics, gladiator sandals, lace details and soft colours, combined with tracksuits, sporting stripes, raw edged denim, harem pants, jogging trousers and tank tops. And did you see all those amazing rainbow colours? The flowy rainbow maxi dress, softly hovering around the models body, was definitely a statement item. Just imagine yourself in this summer stunner(can we skip winter, please?) Designer Claire Waight Keller obviously had a more youthful focus this time, though without completely falling back on the girlish and innocence again. Perhaps she felt it was time for a change and for the Chloe girl to see what’s still intact of her sturdy, grungy side. Well, it seems she’s doing just fine.

Milan Womenswear SS2016 Trend Round-up

Bonjour Paris, see you next year Milan! Stuffed with pasta, espresso’s and loads of fashion, we head towards the European fashion capital. But before we open up the French chapter of this new season, we’d like to look back on the biggest trends straight from the Italian catwalk. Let’s see what summer 2016 has in store for us.

Stripes
As seen at Pucci, Prada, Giorgio Armani and Max Mara.

Colour me blind
As seen at Marni, Missoni, Jil Sander, Sportmax and Moschino.

Sheer me up
As seen at Blumarine, Pucci, Fendi, Prada and Alberta Ferretti

Boho babes
As seen at Alberta Ferretti, Etro, Gucci and Roberto Cavalli.

Asymmetric shoulders
As seen at Versace, Bottega Veneta and Pucci.

Floral Fest
As seen at Dolce&Gabbana, Gucci, Fendi and Etro.

Statement jewellery 
As seen at Marni, Prada, Dolce&Gabbana and Missoni.

It’s a time of (the)waist
As seen at Roberto Cavalli, Versace, Dolce&Gabbana

The bomb
As seen at Emporio Armani, Roberto Cavalli and Bottega Veneta.

Dolce&Gabbana Fashion Show Milan Womenswear SS2016

How many times can you reinvent Italy? And how many times can you redefine Italian elegance and bravoure? As many times as you like, if you ask Dolce&Gabbana. The show was obviously about their home country, their roots. They’ve been working with this feeling of nostalgia for years now, creating the Italian myth. The main question this time: how do people outside Italy see Italy? To answer this, we traveled around Italy. Starting in the 1940’s, its post-war period. The models strutted down the catwalk in the most romantic, feminine and typical Italian creations. Fifties sundress silhouettes, appliquéd flowers in every colour, corset tops, cocktail dresses, silken striped caftans, short bouncy skirts, Peruvian pom-poms, all highly decorated, embellished and embroidered with classic Italian emblems and symbols, like the tower of Pisa and Michelangelo’s David. And how fun are those dresses with vintage postcard print and handwritten letters from Capri, Palermo or Lago di Como. We couldn’t think of a better postcard to send home.

However, they haven’t lost touch with the here and now, and that’s when the most loved and hated Selfie came in. Models pretended to be tourists, making selfies while walking through cozy Italian streets and venues. The festive images immediately popped up on screens flanking the catwalk. Needless to say the #DGselfie, #ITALIAISLOVE or #dolcegabbana was on top of the social charts. And it was Italy that was on top of our minds for the rest of that day, because a great and fun collection it was. Like Dean Martin sings, “That’s Amore!”

Roberto Cavalli Fashion Show Milan Womenswear SS2016

A trademark isn’t a trademark for nothing. It means you love it, you own it and you’ll use it in any possible way. For Cavalli that means a collection full of his famous exotic elegance, wild prints, vintage looking denim, flashy metallics and bohemian glamour. And glamour by Roberto Cavalli means: sexy, sexy, sexy. Important ingredients that are inherent in every collection and his seductive take on clothing and women have provided lot’s of women to look their best. Wether in real life or on the red carpet. Since Brigitte Bardot wore his creations in Saint Tropez in the early ’70s, Cavalli has been the king of party glamour. And it is up to the new appointed creative director Peter Dundas, Pucci’s former head designer and former chief designer at Cavalli, to evolve the Cavalli staple and get everyone excited again. Yesterday was his first attempt.

Keyword? Eighties glamour. The era of Dallas and Dynasty. Over the top fashion. It was all in the boxy jackets, high waisted trousers, shiny fabrics, lots of embellishments, acid wash and neon colours (that lilac and pink denim!), oversized waist belts and dresses in all sorts – some with ruffles, some with cut-outs, some flowy others body-con as can be. Don’t worry too much about the combinations, as long as it looks extravagantly glamorous. No question about it: this woman rules her own empire, symbolically translated into a large dose of a digital image of a lion’s face on tailored suiting and dresses. Something that would fit us Dutchies perfectly, as it is our national symbol. You have to start somewhere to get world domination…

Bottega Veneta Fashion Show Milan Womenswear SS2016

#animalistic and #sporty probably were often used hashtags at the Bottega Veneta show this morning. Inspired by the outdoors Thomas Maier opened his show with a hoodie and 7/8 pants done in nature inspired (camouflage meets mosaic) and leopard prints. A look that set the mood for one of the most laid back Veneta collections in a while, evolved around themes like hiking and sailing. Grommet, ropes and fishnet detailing referred to the latter (seen earlier at SportMax too). Models wearing their hair in post-gym knots looked look like they’d been outside, trekking, walking, living. “The more I can get out of an urban environment, the better it gets,” said the Miami-based German designer. A mix of fleece, calf and lots of craftsmanship detailing added dept to the looks. Leather lining and satin ribbons not only gave perfect shape, together with the large pockets and zippers they added to the sportive vibe of some looks too. The silhouette was athletic as well. Those 7/8 pants, hooded tops with tucked up sleeves, midi skirts with short stiff leather jackets and a variety of cocktail dresses (suitable for most diverse occasions) in the mix. A blunt bundle of eclecticism and freedom in a collection that went back and forth with it’s dress code. Therefore we’re not quite sure in what style category we’ll place it, but there’s time to evaluate. Needless to say the accompanying leather bags were impeccable.

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