Haider Ackermann Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear FW2014

Long lean silhouettes in a palette of grays, taupes, greens and browns awaited us at Ackermann. Designs with which the designer tried to portray gracefulness through their masculinity. And so models sported gray suits with long sleeves and low V-necks. They wore skinny velvet and leather bias cut pants with short structured jackets. Floor sweeping woolen coats and dark, lean turtle neck dresses belted around the waist. If the designs and the models’ expressions didn’t breath enough carelessness, it were the hands in those pockets that added to the feeling the collection, and perhaps Ackermann himself, was at ease. Creations may have started from a menswear point of view; worn by those graceful models, looks were sophisticated and tough (especially those zip-front jackets) even sporty at times, yet never too masculine. A hounds tooth print used on the thickest kind of wool looked perfect for winter and particularly beautiful on a maxi dress paired with a black top. A sober collection with just enough fresh influences to get us excited. Simplicity at it’s finest.

First View Paris Womenswear FW2014: Rave!

Great to see some power and vibrancy coming to stage. Where glamour, sportswear and technology meet, energy sparks and flickers. Demure, slightly unhinged optical illusions and psychedelic swirl in hybrid cloths coming straight from the fashion laboratory. With swirling spirals, mish meshed two-dimensional flowers – all flavoured with unexpected elegance.
Dries van Noten is inspired by Bridget Riley, an English painter who is one of the foremost exponents of Op art. The most optical and delirious patterns where inspired by her works, that had a disorienting physical effect on the eye. This art part being whole-heartedly alternated with true fashion icons – as brilliant flat flowers, supersize 3-D corsages and chic sliver shoes.
At Balenciaga texture is the story. Referencing American sportswear in a playful and experimental way. Re-imagined cabled knits are laminated with latex and bonded with leather. Hefty zippers crisscross jackets and pants.
Fashion with a bold, cartoonish edge and a healthy touch of humor.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

 

Viktor & Rolf Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear FW2014

Viktor & Rolf dedicated their FW14-collection to the gray mélange knit V-neck sweater. Yet as normal as a gray V-neck might be, the Dutch duo turned out some peppy interpretations, from the blanket-like smock and tank dresses that opened the show to the bedazzled sweaters with asymmetric peplums similar to ones they showed in latex during couture.

Abstractions on the sweater were often striking, particularly V-necks as trompe l’oeil prints on velvet tops. Free-floating panels of gray felt on georgette were arranged to mimic twinsets — a nifty effect. There were flashes of sky blue and orange, plus a groovy white mesh minidress fronted with knit panels and a strip of crystal embroidery. A longer version of the latter style also came in gray.

Junya Watanabe Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear, FW2014

We started our morning with an all black Watanabe collection (including the strangely cut black wigs the models wore). Dark it was, dull not at all. With every single look the designer managed to portray his strong craftsmanship. He introduced round (and rectangular towards the end) shaped patchwork details and gave his creations a 3D effect by layering multiple textures on top of each other and bundling woolen, leather and fur pieces of fabric. Sequined pieces were in the patchwork mix too, followed by architectural Michelin-like coats, one could live in. Long dresses with straps of ribbon attached vertically onto sheer fabric formed the finale of what appeared to be clothes for a night out. Some looks might come across a little too bizarre for hitting your average night club, although seen independently, without the extreme show styling, some of the tops or bottoms could definitely work in any metropolitan city.

Maison Martin Margiela Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear FW2014

A sober collection which had British tweeds as a starting point welcomed us at Maison Martin Margiela. First off was a long grey tweed coat, followed by a camel colored sleeveless ensemble. There was a black/brownish tweed suit with strong shoulders and a navy shaded pleated tweed dress worn over a suit in the same color. Midi skirts, overalls and perfectly pleated pants and what looked like a fifties inspired tailored dress were sent out. The focus was on the models’ waists, which was accentuated by small tied leather belts (in camel, red and black). Oh and they sported leather boots, bags and collars too. On perfect pleated pants models sported feminine lace tops, thick Nordic sweaters (again with strong shoulders) and strapless suit jackets. Masculine inspired, but a perfectly feminine collection all together.

Isabel Marant Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear FW2014

After having shown her bestseller items with her H&M collection Isabel Marant was in for a (slight) change with her fall/winter 2014 collection. Don’t worry, there were still plenty of shoulder accentuated jackets, ethnic prints and bare legs at sight. Yet Marant took a little more risk, stepping away from the expected it-girl kinda creations. She, for instance, introduced new pants proportions (not skinny but slouchy this time) and gave her girls a boyish and almost a nerdy kind of look with her chunky grey knits, large overcoats, camouflage shades and careless styling. Oh and not to mention the shoes… woolen ankle boots, full of leather straps with a fur lining every now and then, which might just become next winter’s it-shoe. Perhaps Marant is slightly changing her focus onto a different kind of girl. But changes are her loyal fan base of hot, cool girls is just changing with her. She might just skip the new proportions and rock those fur vests, metallic military tops, super short skirts and overall inspired safari dresses like never before.

Christian Dior Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear FW2014

After opening a brandstore in Amsterdam last month Dior made clear The Netherlands form a target market important enough to focus on. So Dutch actrice Carice van Houten being invited as a front row guest (next to Jessica Alba and Rihanna) at this afternoon’s show for the first time was no coincidence either. And if you ask whether those fall/winter ensembles looked suitable for the Dutch woman, the answer is yes. Raf Simons presented a colorful, well tailored, elegant and sophisticated collection women can actually wear (yes even while cycling to work, like us Dutchies do). There were deep colored, double breasted suits to hit the office in. Models wore chic woolen trenchcoats which had ¾ sleeves with long colored gloves. Simons sent out quilted, flared dresses, paired with flared scarves. Bright (fluo) dresses were worn over tank top dresses in a different color. Each and every single double breasted, pinstripe jacket paired with a shirt dress and bare legs looked super chic. Lace up going out dresses seemed elegant for women of any age. And the finale, existing of a number of floor sweeping sheer dresses worn over shorter simpler designs, had a fresh kind of coolness we’d sure like to try.

Lanvin Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear FW2014

Xtravagant, Xtreme, and Xperiment; it was a triple X collection for Lanvin. The extravagant part was visible through pleated leather, shiny satin and large amounts of fur. Among other creations a big fringed, flamenco tweed dress could pass for the extreme part. And overall Alber Elbaz seemed to have been experimenting with silhouettes, textures and.. fringes. Starting of pretty raw and edgy, the show turned more glamorous and sophisticated towards the finale of color blocked, fringed (of course) party dresses. Wide brimmed hats often covered the models’ fresh faces, chunky pieces of jewelry and tasseled leather bags truly made a statement as well. It all felt quite heavy shows on the runway, but seen in daylight, without the darkness of the show area and the extreme styling, there will be beautiful slip dresses, silk gowns and tweed skirt suits for that elegant Lanvin lady. Backstage Alber said he wanted to go back to the dream factory fashion once was all about. And a dream it was.. a fringed one, that is.

Balmain Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear FW2014

“This time, the only travel I did was to myself, to my generation and to global ethnicities”, Olivier Rousteing stated backstage. And so we arrived in his jungle where models were more ethnically diverse than ever and it was all about camouflage colors (with a few pops of yellow and red) as well as animal prints. This wasn’t a regular safari, it was safari chic at it’s finest. Elaborating on his pre-fall collection (when he was talking about he was talking about a more all-inclusive Balmain—one that embraces different ethnicities and cultures) Rousteing introduced an army of pencil skirts, worn with peplum accents and statement khaki jackets. Without showing a lot of skin his models were super sexy rocking cargo pants and rigid leather jackets with large pockets. Robe details, metallic accents, colourful fur, statement (and we mean a real statement..) golden jewelery and a large focus on the waist made us all want to book a fall safari trip with Rousteing.

Please enjoy the pictures for now, our review will follow shortly.

Balenciaga Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear FW2014

The overall look and silhouette of the Balenciaga-collection was determined by a strong, rounded shoulder; architectural arcs and folds; slim pants, all with a vaguely futuristic feeling heightened by details such as zippers.

Alexander Wang worked his knitwear premise creatively, delivering it with casual panache and a touch of tough.

He opened with impressive wool coats and jackets, big, horizontal scuba-inspired zippers making for aggressive decoration on their backs. Over each of these he put a beaver “apron scarf” with an attached kangaroo pocket knitted from shoe-laces and rubber cording. Some coats came in a polyester jersey that aped cabled textures; others were knitted and fused to outer shells of latex or leather. Dresses were structured shifts, their graphic quotient intensified with bold zippered strips, a detail used on pants as well.

For evening he tweaked the sweater motif, bejeweling the arc with lavish encrustations of pearls. He paired it with pants and a satin knot-front bodice.

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