Hermès Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2011

After big names like Jean Paul Gaultier and Martin Margiela, Hermès chose a less more well known designer to create their womenswear-collections. But not a less talented one! Christophe Lemaire (45) has been in the business for ten years, building his own brand and helping to give sportswear-related brand Lacoste a more fashionable face.

His first collection for Hermès was a mix between comfortable yet dressy sportswear and the loose layers we know from the late seventies. Chunky knits, tweeds, leather pants (sometimes with boots attached to it), straight T-shaped leather tops and beautiful coats and deux-pieces in a patchwork of the famous Hermès-shawls. The tunics and  and djellaba-inspired dresses gave it a slightly eastern touch. Colors ranged from off-white to black, mustard, petrol and orange.

Different from what we’re used to see from Gaultier, but still luxurious and elegant in a quiet way.

First View Paris FW2011: Dark Romance

The last few days in Paris a fantastic myriad of hybrid creatures passed by in a theatrical scenery. Mysteriously clad in dramatic silhouettes in exuberant fabrics and tailoring.

Rebellious and gothic, Amazonian warriors in black clouds of silk slung with giant leather belts. Haider Ackerman showed the most magnificent and elegant approach towards this dark witchcraft in dense burgundies, deep sapphires and intense forest green.

Black boots accessorize dresses and coats in silk, velvet, leather and fur. This feel for dark romance is wide spread on Paris catwalks.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam.

Klavers van Engelen Collection FW2011

For coming fall Niels Klavers and Astrid van Engelen, the Dutch designers behind Klavers van Engelen, continued their search for designing as minimal as possible. They still want to create maximum effect wit less and less interventions.

The overall look is that of a beautiful piece of fabric thrown on the body by a gentle breeze. Adding knitwear to the Klavers van Engelen line for the first time, in downy and weightless mohair, as well as a deep dyed curly goat fur, they further explored their signature purist design principles.

Two different rectangular pieces of fabric sandwich the body to make a top or dress, a mohair knit in front and a washed silk for the much shorter back. Complexity and ease merge in dresses and trousers with large integrated square shaped shawls that can be worn loose over the shoulder or tied around the neck creating a sophisticated draped top. Graphic effects were created by using different fabrics and colors, and the designers also tried to change the view on their creations, the front and back of some dressed were different in color, fit and fabric.

The colour palette starts with the Klavers van Engelen signature ‘flame’ orange and ends in a solid silver grey. Inspired by Mark Rothko’s great colorfield paintings juxtaposing precious shades such as daffodil, mustard, cerise, grape, loganberry, bordeaux, bronze, a wonderful deep fawn, chocolate, latte and just a touch of black creates a mesmerizing effect.

Again the design-duo made a collection that looked simply beautiful from the outside, as if it was created accidentally. But take a closer look and you’ll see true designs that will keep surprising you by every movement.

Jean Paul Gaultier Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2011

Jean Paul Gaultier likes joking around with fashion a little. And so he did yesterday, by taking La bourgeoise sans age as his muse. You know, those maturing beauties who dress their age but still want to shine a little. And they are sooo French.

Gaultier took the traditional dressing of the upper class – tweeds, tailored trousers, cardigans, blouses, deux pieces, pinstripe – and reworked them. The models came dressed as matrons in gray beehives and kitten heels and were totally covered up, no button was left unbuttoned. There were even turtlenecks worn under long, straight dresses. And during their walk the models liberated themselves from something, a glove, a shoe, a coat. It was fun to watch and the message was clear: mature women look great in Jean Paul Gaultier!

Streetfashion Paris FW2011 Day 4

What are you wearing during the coming fashionweeks? Your Prada-shoes, your latest Jil Sander-dress or that vintage Yves St. Laurent? 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 Fashion Week.

Sonia Rykiel Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2011

Again a happy end at the Sonia Rykiel show, and finally some color after quite some dark colored shows we’ve seen  elsewhere in Paris.

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

Viktor & Rolf Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2011

Viktor & Rolf are ready for a battle. A battle against the loss of beauty with an army of red-faces models dressed in proper ammunition: ultra-stiff tailoring. With the show designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren wanted to express their passion for fashion.

The show opened literally with an medieval looking drawbridge that revealed the entrance of the V&R-fort. Out came the model with their faces painted red acting strong and angry. They were dressed in tough looking, long coats with bladelike pleats around collars and shoulders like giant pinwheels.

The collection took inspiration from knights or crusaders, looking at the stiff leather skirts, the red, black and mat silver and the red roses printed at dresses like it was part of a weapon-shield. The softly draped dresses also reminded of medieval times. The second part of the show dresses softened a little bit when fabrics became more fluid and ruffles entered.

First View Paris FW2011: Surface & Proportion

Paris opens with an almost academic exercise in shape and proportions. Supersize knits in chunky ribbons of faux leather by Balenciaga in contrast with rococo prints on fluid crepe de chine. Miyake shows giant hounds tooth on models wrapped in outsized origami.

Dries van Noten works in clashing king-size graphics reminiscent of Russian constructivism. Pugh and Owens go monumental, composing leather into architectonic and iconic works of art.

But this is not just about the grand gesture. The surprise is in the detail; crafted tailoring, precious surface effects, appliquéd and gilded aspects, embossed and hand coloured leather and ribbon weaves.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam.

Haider Ackermann Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2011

At the sound of a slow heartbeat and Leonard Cohen’s poem A thousand kisses deep Haider Ackermann presented his romantic, serene collection. It lend to an outburst of emotion at the audience. The designer received a long and weldeserved applause. Some tears were falling down.

Don’t matter if the road is long
Don’t matter if it’s steep
Don’t matter if the moon is gone
And the darkness is complete
Don’t matter if we lose our way
It’s written that we’ll meet
At least, that’s what I heard you say
A thousand kisses deep

I loved you when you opened
Like a lily to the heat
You see, I’m just another snowman
Standing in the rain and sleet
Who loved you with his frozen love
His second hand physique
With all he is and all he was
A thousand kisses deep

I know you had to lie to me
I know you had to cheat
You learned it on your father’s knee
And at your mother’s feet
But did you have to fight your way
Across the burning street
When all our vital interests lay
A thousand kisses deep

I’m turning tricks
I’m getting fixed
I’m back on boogie street
I’d like to quit the business
But I’m in it, so to speak
The thought of you is peaceful
And the file on you complete
Except what I forgot to do
A thousand kisses deep

Don’t matter if you’re rich and strong
Don’t matter if you’re weak
Don’t matter if you write a song
The nightingales repeat
Don’t matter if it’s nine to five
Or timeless and unique
You ditch your life to stay alive
A thousand kisses deep

The ponies run
The girls are young
The odds are there to beat
You win a while, and then it’s done
Your little winning streak
And summon now to deal with your invincible defeat
You live your life as if it’s real
A thousand kisses deep

I hear their voices in the wine
That sometimes did me seek
The band is playing Auld Lang Syne
But the heart will not retreat
There’s no forsaking what you love
No existential leap
As witnessed here in time and blood
A thousand kisses deep

Leonard Cohen (do you want to listen to the poem? Click here)

The king is gone

Christian Dior caused quite a mob-scene outside the Rodin Museum yesterday, where the fashion-house built a big black tent in the gardens for the show. Approximately 300 to 500 people gathered in the Rue de Varenne trying to get a glimpse of celebrities but also Bernard Arnault – ceo of LVMH – and other vips, cameracrews, photographers, journalist and curious tourists fled the street. Eventually the police tried to put everybody behind the gates.

And there was only one single man who symbolically tried to speak out for John Galliano. And let’s be honest – we will miss Galliano. A lot.

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