Celine Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear SS2016

Before the show even had started, the Celine team had people already talking about the huge tented space in yellow, orange, red and blue. It was designed by the Danish artist Fos, also known as Thomas Poulsen, and a longstanding collaborator with Philo on furnishings in several Céline stores worldwide. The backdrop is always one of the first signs to see what’s on the menu for spring 2016 and this tent symbolized the feeling of freedom. Pack your tent and you can go anywhere you want.

But although you’re on holiday and decided to go camping, you still want to look your best. Philo understands like no other. The main question for this collection was: how do clothes make you feel? Or more importantly: how do you want them to make you feel? According to Philo, it’s powerful, strong, sexy, feminine and free. She doesn’t only creates clothes she likes to wear herself, but simultaneously the kind of clothes that other women might actually want to wear. From the fashion editors to the main stream audience and from New York to Japan. And we’re sure same goes for this spring collection. If you were wondering how to combine soft refinement and duty or how to balance between strong and feminine, take a close look. We counted many strong and structured silhouettes layered over soft and fluid garments, like a leathery tunic worn over a soft blue flowy t-dress or a minimalistic halter top teaming up with classic checked trousers. Philo also did a turn with lingerie, like she did for fall 2015. The lace-trimmed black and white silk slip dresses that opened the show are the perfect comfy summer wear, surprisingly combined with sturdy ankle boots and a perfectly strong tailored coat worn over it. But it could be easily worn as negligees as well. The smooth braids, bold red lips and eye graphics only empowered every look even more.

Kenzo Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear SS2016

Leave it up to Carol Lim and Humberto Leon to create a collection filled with young, fresh, catchy designs that appeal to a wide audience. Their travel meets sporty looks had all the right ingredients for the summer wardrobe of a girl on the go. Graphic prints in bold shades of blue, yellow and red proved the designers still know their way around the color palette, making each look poppy and very Kenzo. They popped up on kimono style jackets, skater dresses, miniskirts, cropped tanks, maxi dresses and co-ords. Adding to the collection’s overall happy mood. Mesh body suits added some sexiness to the active attires.The XL gladiator sandals may have been a little too gimmick-y. Yet statement fanny packs, colorful handbags and chandelier earrings (although a slight style difference) made up for that slight misstep in the accessory department.

Streetfashion Paris Womenswear SS2016, Day 4

What are they wearing during the international fashion weeks? A Valentino dress, that vintage Dior or their latest Celine skirt? During the fashion weeks 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.

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.

Balenciaga Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear SS2016

A big relieve or just a big celebration of fashion? Either way Alexander Wang danced his way on and off the runway after he presented his third and final Balenciaga collection. Held in an ivory colored churched, with matching carpet and a long pool dividing the runway, the show was filled too with just one shade of dreamy white. From the slouchy pants to the lace dresses and yes even fanny packs, flower embroidered lace slippers and bras came in off white. A collection that had femininity and romantic written all over it. Silk and lace, ruffles, ribbons and rose paddles shapes all included. Even though, if you looked closer, some outfits weren’t even all that elegant and were actually a perfect match with the show’s rap music. But no matter how sporty, loung-y or casual the piece Wang gave it a tender touch. In real life a bit more shaping and tailoring might be useful to portray the female body in it’s best way (even some of the models couldn’t pull off the shapeless bras and saggy pants). But we got the idea. Natural, serene, at ease yet powerful. A step out of Wang’s comfort zone. But when there’s nothing to loose, why not take a risk?

Streetfashion Paris Womenswear, Day 3

What are they wearing during the international fashion weeks? A Valentino dress, that vintage Dior or their latest Celine skirt? During the fashion weeks 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.

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.

Lanvin Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear SS2016

Alber Elbaz is always the one to look back and compare. We used to be designers. Now, we’re image-makers”, he said pre-show. He had been struggling to work through the puzzles confronting designers in a digital age. What is relevant today? Is it need or provocation? What is the role of fashion as entertainment? And, most relevant to his show: Can fashion and theater coexist? In turned out they can. At least for today, cause Elbaz staged his SS2016 show as a theater, placing the Lanvin name up in glittering lights at one end of the runway. His theater line up was as diverse as could be. All looks presumable festive, yet ranging from masculine tot seductive (although the nude corsetry had us fooled once or twice), from glittering to bold printed, from floor sweeping to cocktail. Not necessarily in that order. There was lace, there was tule, the was satin and jacquard. Not to mention we could double check on some SS2016 trends like the loose straps, the slip dresses, more is more. Now the dress code might have been festive, not flawless. Sharp cuts and tailored fits had Lanvins signature deconstructred details, undone seams, threads, frayed ends (a faux effect; real raw edges don’t hold up to wear, he cautioned) and frills all over them. Elbaz can wonder and complain question all he wants. But it seems his clothes don’t’always need a up to date theme to deliver a message. The feel good, dressed up, seventies mood was written all over them.

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