Comme des Garçons Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2011

For spring/summer Rei Kawakubo decided to turn her clothes upside down. Quite unexpected, yet it turned out alright. The models wore many different jackets at once, which according to Kawakubo had everything to do with the multiple personalities theme of the show.

Jackets and coats in black, grey and white were the key items of the show. Kawakubo used lots of black leather and added corset-details, hair nets and multiple belts to her looks.

Some models carried so many clothes at least three models could be dressed in them. And at the end of the show pairs of models were dressed in clothes which actcually left room for a third person in the middle. It all was part of Kawakubo’s multiple personality-inspiration.

A daring collection, but that’s probably what makes Comme des Garçons such so successful.

Viktor & Rolf Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2011

Today Dutch designer-duo Viktor & Rolf presented a summer collection inspired by the plain white shirt and the striped banker shirt. Two very masculine and minimalistic items, which the designers managed to transform into a very feminine collection.

Their ‘shirt symphony’ started with several blue and white looks. They all had multiple collars and cuffs on them, each one a little bigger than the one before.

Shirt tails for a change were not hidden, but popped up from under the legs of mini shorts at the front and the back. They were extremely long, reaching to the models ankles.

The color palette changed from blue to black, orange and turquoise. Only a few stripes and a zebra print were added, letting the fantastic clothes speak for themselves.

In a few black and white as well as in some turquoise and black designs Viktor & Rolf brought stretch (= tight-fitting) jersey and voluminous shiny silk together in a way only they can do that.

For the finale they even created more volume and took the masculine/feminine theme of their show to its extreme. White bridal gowns came down the runway perfectly matching the soundtrack of the show (Billy Idol – White Wedding). Their  lace embroideries, multiple layers, cuffs and collars were a perfect ending of, yet another, great Viktor & Rolf show.

Junya Watanabe Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

With coffee and croissants being served the Junya Watanabe fashion show was a good start of a busy fashion day in Paris. His new collection was pleasant to watch as well, although it was much of the same thing.

Black/Navy and white stripes were used throughout the whole collection. The stripes were combined with prints of lifebuoys, anchors and sailing boats. Plus the girls wore straw hats. But to conclude that Watanabe was inspired by a nautical theme, would be wrong. He stresses there were NO nautical references in the show. Instead he claimed Tokyo Dolls were his inspiration. The models in fact promoted the style of Harajuku teenagers. Alright Watanabe, if you say so.

The clothes looked easy-going (some outfits appeared even more comfortable than pajama’s) and playful. Loose-fitting striped pants and dresses as well as many trench coat variations.

Who walked in today’s show we’ll never know, cause Watanabe covered all the faces of the girls with a white fabric and gave them bright colored wigs. Next time robots instead of models mister Watanabe?

Daily favorites in Paris

Friday was Lanvin-day. Besides Balenciaga, Celine and the Japanes designers the fashionworld is eager to receive the message Alber Elbaz has to tell. His connection with women is unbelievable, he can sense them and translate their needs into modern, urban chic. As he did yesterday. But the collection is not complete with the beautiful and strong jewelry from designer Elie Top. For summer he got his inspiration from bees, flies and butterflies. I’ll have to start saving money now, I guess.

Also: the setup of the Lanvin shows is giving me goose-pimples all the time. A dark, long runway with just one accent (last season a stairway to heaven, yesterday a line of poles) and models that seem to appear from the dark. Their long walk builds up the tension.

When I saw the pictures of Yamamoto I was struck by the faded colors in one outfit. The show seemed very Yohji with big dresses, draped and folded. But I loved the way he mixed the colors with his signature black.

And then Dior. It was a very commercial and upbeat show, and that’s what it should be if they want to sell. It seems Galliano is only allowed to push the boundaries at haute couture, and that’s a pity. Anyway, windbreakers and parkas never looked so sexy. And as a real Dutch girl I really liked that.

Lanvin Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2011

Alber Elbaz is one of the few designers who thinks about what women want before he starts designing. He thinks about their lives, their work, their obligations, their worries. And he tries to make the best possible clothes for them. Next spring he offers them many choices from long flowing skirts to flat and smooth day-dresses to pantsuits inspired by athletic wear (his pantsuit is an elongated jacket over skirts and stretch leggings) . There was even a nylon raincoat.

Elbaz doesn’t like perfection, he loves wrinkles. And his collection seemed a hymn to skin: wrinkled in pleating, stretched in all those sheaths. It was a spectacular foundation on which he could use heavy colors. From elegantly taupe to acid yellow, hot pink, and aqua. The designer doesn’t like pantsuits either, so the focus was at his favorite uniformstyle for women: dresses. They came in one-shoulder styles, in a navy stretch fabric, with two dark zippers at the front and a belt. One navy dress had sleeves to just above the elbow and a deep V-front.  Simple flat sandals were the key-shoe.

The shoes in fact were the reason the show started one hour too late. When Elbaz noticed during the rehearsal that the models couldn’t walk on the high heels he planned for the show, the designer decided to skip the shoes and change them for other. That’s what I call respecting women.

Streetfashion Paris Womenswear SS2011 Day 3

What are you wearing during the coming fashionweeks? Your Louboutin-heels, your latest Dries van Noten-jacket or that vintage Prada? 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.

Christian Dior Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2011

The Dior spring summer 2011 collection was inspired by sailors, the fourties and pin-up girl Bettie Page. The result was colorful, feminine, light and a lovely mix of sailor and elegance.John  Galliano made up the story of an imaginary Polynesian naval base where the sailors could kill their time by looking at Bettie-Page look-a-likes.

The British designer mixed the sexy 40’s pin-up clothes with Polynesian colors and flowers plus sailorstyle. A windbreaker never looked so sexy and elegant.  There were sailorpants in white and khaki, navy shirts and casual jackets and parkas. The more feminine touch came from short dresses in tropical colors and prints plus Hawaian necklaces with flowers .

Issey Miyake Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2011

Issey Miyake presented a collection with special effects in the clothes: black and white checks that bled at the end, digital prints of raffia that dissolevd into a blur.

Daily favorites in Paris

It was a busy day yesterday, and a good day. Inspiring collections from Balenciaga and Rick Owens, while Ann Demeulemeester and AF vandeVorst choose their own path. My favorites of thursday were the return of models like Stella Tennant at the runway of Balenciaga. I love it when designers decide not to go for the blond Caucasian girls who all seem to look alike but to choose different types instead. And Tennant looked great.

Manish Aurora is a designer that fascinates me. He just does his own thing and keeps on presenting collections that make you happy and smile. I mean, I don’t think I will even wear one of his designs but I love the way he brings that Indian vibe – messy, colorful, over the top, ethnic – to the fashioncapital of the world with all his o so serious looking fashionpeople.

I think the vandeVorst-show was about feminine knights regarding the silver armor-wear and the banner that one of the models carried during the show. The designduo likes to dress strong women who protect themselves with an ultra feminine yet tough style. I personally liked the drapes dress in gray with a wet finish, underneath the dress was a silver body.

And the show of Rick Owens was the best of the day in my opinion. His dark shows alway gives me shivers, but yesterday his show made my heart jump. The women looked like goddesses from another planet, so gracious and proud.

Rick Owens Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2011

Rick Owens presented a beautiful, almost intergalactical royal collection. The models looked as if they were goddesses from another world. No gothic darkness, but majestic beauties crowned with a hair comb in almost classic silhouettes in white, gray, brown and green.

Skirts were extreme, in volume or length, pearly toned jackets or cut away tops armored the upperbody. The architecture of cut, shape and form gave clarity to clothes, even when there were layers.

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