Streetfashion Paris Womenswear FW2012 Day 2

What are you wearing during the fashionweeks? Your Miu Miu-shoes, your latest Jil Sander-jacket or that vintage Gucci? 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.

Rick Owens Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

Although the eruption of flames at the beginning of Rick Owens’ show suggested a sense of black magic, it turned out to be a much lighter and softer show. Dove-grey instead of pitch black, flowing dresses, layers and some great coats. Owens suggested a looser silhouette for dresses and tops that had more flow in their fit. Some of these looks were layered over drop-crotch shorts, which in Owens’ hands, were quite alluring and cool.

He also showed outerwear, including a few formfitting coats and cropped, draped leather jackets.

Nina Ricci Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

‘Nostalgia for the present’ was the theme of the Nina Ricci collection. It was about young girls playing dress-up in their mother’s and grandmother’s clothes, as Peter Copping told the press. This translated through tops with too long sleeves, extra large skirts and some of the dresses which were one size too big.

It made the models look like dolls. Dolls dressed in chic, but scruffy designs. Like slipdresses patched together with tweed and lace. Or somewhat destroyed jackets with fringes all over.

Though most of the looks were very ladylike, we also got a bit of a sporty vibe. Especially one of the last outfits, a sheer houndtooth skirt and jacket had sporty chic written all over it.

In this collection too it was all about mixing different materials, patchwork really. Wool and fur, lace and tweed, leather and satin, for the ultimate luxury looks with a bit of an edge.

 

 

Balenciaga Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

At Balenciaga we were high in the sky. Because the show took place on the 27th floor of the Paris skyscraper ‘Tour Cristal’ and since we fell in love with it’s beautiful fall collection. One shown by a complete Balenciaga Inc. company, including employees, interns and an IT department.

Ghesquière introduced new silhouettes and new proportions (coats with big rounded shoulders and padded sweaters with puffy sleeves).

Sheer dresses were presented in different shades with asymmetric metallic and animal printed accents. Knee high skirts were matched with thick stiff sweaters and short jackets. He even showed his sense of humor, by introducing parachute pants and sweatshirts with crazy slogans like “JOIN A WEIRD TRIP” and “OUT OF THE BLUE”. At the end those same parachute pants were elongated till the models’ waists and worn with V-neck sleeved tops and corset-like variations.

So many different looks and yet each one so strong and unique. Working at this Balenciaga office seems like a dream job to us. We can already picture ourselves behind our clean desks just daydreaming as a real life catwalk takes place in front of your eyes everyday.

Balmain Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

Balmain’s fall will be all about boxy jackets, small pants and tight dresses. Oh and let’s not forget the dazzling detailed Faberge egg-like embroideries that popped up throughout  the show. Especially those highly decorated pieces were the most remarkable ones. Even though there won’t be many women who can afford those thousands of hand embroidered pearls and crystals.

Yet as delicate as those pieces were, designer Rousteing still made it look cool and effortless, in line with what Balmain stands for. Besides his gorgeous creations there was not a lot of fuss going on at the show. Models barely wore any make-up, had their hair down (slightly messy) and walked around on their low(er) heels with their hands in their pockets. It’s the easy chic that works so well on the streets and it’s the cool effortless vibe that makes young women love the brand so much.

Though the Balmain look has been quite the same for a few seasons, Rousteing carefully introduced some changes. Jackets became boxier, some flared (velvet) pants were added to the mix of skinnies and even a 7/8 skirt made it’s appearance. It will be hard for the brand to step away from it’s success formula of skinnies and pointed shoulders, but today’s collection proved Balmain is right on track.

 

 

 

Rue du Mail Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

It was a sporty chic collection, Martine Sitbon presented yesterday, designed for a somewhat ‘androgynous woman with a strong attitude,’ as she told the press.

The sportive part of the show was visible through the use of color (lots of different colored sleeves), the silhouettes (baseball jacket shapes), the materials (jerseys and knits) and the details (lots of zippers). Chic were the black & white knits, the macramé lace, the laser-cut bouclé and the silk bright colored dresses that closed the show.

There were some tricky parts of the collection though. The cutouts can easily become very tacky and the same goes for the red watercolor print. Just as long as the Rue du Mail women keep their looks on the sporty side, they have nothing to worry about. Even better, next fall they’ll be all the rage.

Ann Demeulemeester Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

The models at Ann Demeulemeester’s show wore a wild crown of hair, blades and black feathers. They had long leather gloves on their arms and black leather pants that melted into long boots. There was lots of black leather and velvet, but more inbteresting was the inky, midnight blue color. The collection had powerful outerwear and dark elegant dresses — worked in variations and fabrics rich with dimension. Tailored jackets and trenches came cut up into asymmetrical folds with sculpted collars. Long, lean dresses were simple aside from a single drape at the neckline or back. This was surely a tough, graceful women.

Mugler Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

At Mugler, the creative director Nicola Formichetti and designer Sébastien Peigné,  linked directly to Thierry Mugler. Their point of reference was the designer’s 1997 “insects” couture collection, with supermodels in patent leather and bug-eyed masks. It resulted in a subtle translation  like in the pattern of a black and white dress with super-sized shoulders and glossy black croc appliqués on a sheer form-fitting dress.

Gareth Pugh Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

The black confetti surely gave the show of Gareth Pugh a moody edge. Not that he needed this, since his collections always reflect a dark, mysterious mood. Somehow Pugh let go of his fetish looks and toned things down. There was lots of leather, fur and a contrast of volume. Appealing were the  fuzzy black fur coat that opened the show plus the sharp-shouldered dresses with a leather bodice and a full fur skirt. Luckily Gareth Pugh didn’t forget to put some drama ans exaggeration in his presentation, that’s what a show also is about.

Streetfashion Paris Womenswear FW2012 Day 1

What are you wearing during the fashionweeks? Your Miu Miu-shoes, your latest Jil Sander-jacket or that vintage Gucci? 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.

« Previous Page — Next Page »