Louis Vuitton Catwalk Fashion Show ss2010

Marc Jacobs introduced flossy clogs (and moccassins, pennyloafers, kittenheels) at his ss-2010 collection for Louis Vuitton, and tasseled satchel bags. Cute print dresses were layered over T-shirts and bikershorts. It seemed the show was all about hanging out with your friends in the summer.What else can you do when the world’s recovering from the crisis? The models wore big afro-like wigs in different colors with a cute little bow – they looked like  dolls in their cute  mini-dresses with puffy shorts peeping out. Graphic African inspired prints played with stripes and different checks. Colors went from browns and khakis to pastelpink, red, green and blue. Indeed youth has the future and the fantasy, only not the money to buy any of these LV-stuff. So I guess it’s the grown ups who have to return to their childhood again. Who’s first?

Alexander McQueen Catwalk Fashion Show ss2010

It was an extra-ordinairy Alexander McQueenshow, streamed live onto the Internet. Nick Knight was the director of this presenation – called Plato’s Atlantis – and did a great job. The staging was impressive: two cameras mounted on rolling cranes in the middle of a sparkling white, bio-lab runway. On a screen in the backround, the models were projected, with the cranes being part of the image. It looked like another planet.

Inspiriation for this dazzling collection came from Darwin, the natural world, underwater aliens and technology. In a pressrelease the designer explained he was casting an apocalyptic forecast of the future ecological meltdwon of the world. We may be heading back to an underwater future as the ice cap dissolves. McQueens fantasy goes beyond borders . The dresses were molded and shaped, had engineered (reptile)prints and jacquards and came in breathtaking whorls of colors (greens, browns, aqua and blue). The platform-shoes were alienating. In a section in which it looked as if McQueen was envisaging a biological hybridization of women with sea mammals, there were trousers whose bulbous flanks mimicked the skin of sharks or dolphins. Some dresses and tops looked like large bubbles of water.

The way McQueen is embracing new computer technologies and the drama of the moving image puts him at the leading edge of change.

Valentino Catwalk Fashion Show ss2010

For their new Valentino collection we heard Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli wanted to tell a new fairy tale. And so they did. They presented a gorgeous feminine collection. The show kicked off with strapless partydresses which were elegant and playful at the same time. Huge bows were placed on these dresses. The designs came in light shades of grey, gold and lavender. They were made of light materials like organza, tulle and chiffon. If you want to go out in these designs you’d have to act very careful not to tear anything. You also must not be afraid to show some body parts: even the pants were transparent. Some chic evening gowns had ruffles and prints of honeycomb mixed with flowers. Big silver bracelets and shoes with feathers and laces at the back were worn with them. This collection proved that Chiuri and Picciolo are able to do what it has always been about for Valentino: making women feel beautiful. (Tess van Daelen)

Chloe Catwalk Fashion Show ss2010

With Hannah MacGibbon’s ss2010 collection for Chloé it was hard to get an idea to what occasion you should wear the clothes. There were suits you wouldn’t put on for a day at the office. And the nice detailed long coats and ponchos looked too hot for spring. Like in Chloé’s last collection the jackets were very masculine. The blouses were straight with no waist and buttoned all the way to the top. They also had a little bit of a dull sleeve length. Fortunately several ponchos, skirts and sweaters had feminine details like a silky or leather edging. Between all the neutral shades an oversized yellow ochre A-line coat looked just about perfect. Out of the blue came an unflattering denim outfit. During the show’s finale some floaty white dresses made up for all the stiffness in the collection. Their multiple layers danced in the air with every step. (Tess van Daelen)

Chanel Catwalk Fashion Show ss2010

As soon as the audience noticed the stage at Chanel – a barn and a haysteck were Lily Allen performed – it knew what the Chanel-show would be about. Ultrachique farmergirls in playful dresses, swirling skirts and tough jeans wearing Chanel-clogs and scarves around their head. Colors were classic-Chanel: white, marine, red and pastelshades of pink. The famous Chanel tweed was woven as there were little pieces of hay sticking out, the jeans looked old and repaired, some dresses seemed handknitted. This was a very cheerful Chanel-collection, young and upbeat and far away from the classic two-piece suit.

Yves St. Laurent Catwalk Fashion Show ss2010

The YSL collection was about  the urge looking for “a natural and honest chic, an aesthetic paradigm of new minimalism”, according to the program-notes.  That means a stark, monochrome pencil-skirted suit and an austere tuxedo. Or a pair of conceptual lederhosen and a romantic, strawberry-scattered dress. The YSL collection of Stefano Pilati had two sides: seventies peasant-influences and a more modern city-look with linen dresses and belted pantsuits. There were lots of ideas and great looking clothes but it never became cohesive. The consumer probably doesn’t care, as long as she finds wearable clothes. And she will.

Celine Catwalk Fashion Show ss2010

After four years of silence Phoebe Philo (who formerly worked for Chloé) showed a new collection during her runway debut for Celine. By deciding a new iconic look she went back to basic. The clothes looked sober in shades of beige, white and camel. There were hardly any accessories and Philo only used one or two pieces of clothing per outfit. No fuss but clear, tight and wearable shapes and fits. ‘A kind of contemporary minimalism’, as she called it herself. Philo designed many leather pieces, almost all without visible seams, pockets, zippers or buttons. There were some cross-laced items, a few wide sleeves and several epaulettes. A leather coat with a rounded standing collar was the most striking piece of the collection. Philo’s Chloé-touch was visible in  wide pants and wedge sandals. Of course the big question is: will Philo be able to bring back Celine’s success? Judging from the enthusiastic reactions of the audience, she will. (Tess van Daelen)

Stella McCartney Catwalk Fashion Show ss2010

Finally after so many days of (sometimes boring) fashionshows with angry looking models there were real smiles on the runway. Stella McCartney was in a good mood – maybe because 2008 turned out to be a good year regarding 20 percent profit – and her message was: embrace life and be happy. Her collection was alike: real clothes for real women but with a little bit of glamor to make it through the day. Relaxed denim skirts just below the knee and male trousers mixed with lace tops and masculine jackets referred to the seventies , although the gender blending was very now. High heels, but also comfy Linda-wedges – a tribute to her late mother Linda McCartney – gave the look an extra edge as did the colors and shiny/matte shantung. McCartneys evening-wear is flowing and moving like a colorful jellyfish, for those late parties at the beach or downtown. Watch her best friend Gwyneth Paltrow, she’ll be probably the first.

Sonia Rykiel Catwalk Fashion Show ss2010

For Sonia Rykiel’s fashion show last year’s Park of Saint-Cloud was exchanged for Sonia Rykiel’s own shop on Boulevard Saint-Germain. The flowers on the runway had turned into shiny silver confetti. And the fashion show was just one big party, especially for the models since they could act as joyful as possible. It even made model Sasha Pivovarova’s face look cheerful. The girls gracefully walked down the runway. Once with three at a time in matching striped sweaters. Rykiel showed a lot of colorful long (sometimes knitted) cardigans with shoulder pads. See-through big buckled belts were worn with them. Most items of one outfit were in the same shade, decorated with stars, flowers or bows. Models showed lined body warmers, skirts and strapless tops with visible square seams. A great blue silky trouser suit with white palm leaves really stood out. Rykiel’s SS2010 collection is great fun to watch and to wear. (Tess van Daelen)

Givenchy Catwalk Fashion Show ss2010

In Riccardo Tisci’s collection for Givenchy his graphic prints were perfection. He started the show with triangular shapes and cut-outs and horizontal lines. Halfway the collection the audience was blown away when he introduced his print for spring 2010. It had zigzag patterns combined with lines and curves. Tisci used it in many of his designs and showed it in three different natural shades. Even some shoes with platform wedges had the detailed print all over them. Apart from the graphic print some of Tisci’s highlights were a few great drop-crotch harem pants, multi-layered skirts, loose-fitting sleeves and dresses with ruffles in all the right places. He also gave the shoulders some extra attention by adorning and raising them. Puffy collars were worn on top of Roman draped ultra-light dresses. It’s for sure that this Givenchy collection will do well in stores. So we will certainly see its graphic prints passing by next spring. (Tess van Daelen)

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