Comme des Garcons Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

It was basically a two-dimensional collection that Comme des Garcons sent out yesterday.A play with volume, color and pattern. The first model that stepped at the basic, unfinished plywood catwalk wore a bright red coat, big and bold when viewed full frontal and flattened in profile. Next came another coat, in pink, later a pink-and-blue circle frock. The show was an explosion of outsized graphic precision and vibrant color. With their their bright plastic helmet bobs atop clothes cut big and flat, the models looked like paper dolls.

Fabrics were structured and in clear, dense hues. Patterns – dots and flowers – were mega-big. After the flat textures came shine and a small group of girls covered in rose prints with their faces hidden in the fabric.

Junya Watanabe Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

Junya Watanabe was in the mood for sartorial elegance in a mannish way, which resulted in a collection with strong tailoring and couturelike precision. Lots of  formfitting coat in a men’s check, cinched dresses in heavier fabrics, or a checked coat with a dress that combined a gray bodice in a heavy cloth with a voluminous  orange skirt in velvet.
Watanabe’s outerwear had trenchcoats with volume, as well as a trench-cape and a few blazer coats, which looked as though he stitched together a fitted jacket and a skirt in the same fabric.

Viktor & Rolf catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

At Viktor & Rolf a full moon set the mood for mysterious show. It was opened by an unlighted moving catwalk on which models posed in their structured looks. Seeing those silhouettes move across the backdrop you knew you were in for another V&R spectacle.

In line with the silky pajama for day wear trend the Dutch designers sent their first few girls on the runway in silk printed and draped ones. Extremely luxury pj’s those were with sparkly collars and fur cuffs. V&R even added some of their larger than life details, like enormous sleeves attached to the models shoulders like a sort of cape.

Everything that followed, the suits, the shorts and sheer tops, coats and evening dress, played with volume and the mixing of materials. The designers showed contrast by combining sheer delicate pieces with touches of raccoon and mink fur.

Shaved, structured fur (in stead of cute and fluffy) that is, which took the Dutch duo months to develop. It made up for the distinctive, statuesque V&R look, the theatrical touch they often add to their collections. Still, this show felt different. Looks seemed to be less about the art and spectacle and just a little bit more about wearability.

A smart move, if you ask us. We’ll probably see the Dutch brand pop up more often and other celebs than today’s front row guest Katy Perry will have a mysterious moment dressed in V&R.

Haider Ackermann Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

Again Haider Ackermann presented an intriguing and beautiful collection. Ackermann’s sent out an message of power-chic fueled by both dark and artful undercurrents. A lean, even severe silhouette dominated, sometimes cinched with a sharply geometric corset belt. Ackermann incorporated serious volume and a fascination with the lower torso. This resulted in tiered and sculpted peplums, hip adornments and leathers that pushed out from the waist to be cut away into dramatic front tails. Ackermann softened it up with hooded coats and long dresses. The  colors were magical, with oranges, reds, blues and purples against earthy neutrals.

Lanvin Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

Alber Elbaz not only celebrated 10 years at Lanvin with a great collection and party, he also performed at the end of the show singing ‘Que Sera Sera’. It was his party, so he could do whatever he wanted.  The collection seemed a Best of-collection, but then modernized and updated. It showed all the inventive and creative skills of this great designer: his use of colors, the cut of the silhouettes, the mix of fabrics, the shapes, the urban femininity .

The show opened with hourglass mini-dresses in bright colors and sweet, round shapes, then black leather followed and black dresses and coats. The ruffles balanced it out and made sure the clothes didn’t look to aggressive or harsh. After the show Alber Elbaz told reporters that this collection was ‘all about freedom’.

Sonia Rykiel Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

It is the second season April Chrichton is designing the collection for the house of Sonia Rykiel. This spring it’s about bold colors and style, but for next fall it’s less loud, more simple and pared down.  Like the skirtsuits with a kick flare to the skirt, shrunken jackets, jumpers and little black skirts. Shades were mainly black, white and biscuit. For eveningwear the Rykiel-girl shows her flirty side, with floaty dresses, sometimes in sheer black or with puffy little sleeves.

Martin Margiela Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

Margiela started with some amazing, yet basic coats and capes which the models had hanging on their shoulders. Some real classics in grey, camel and black everyone could use in their winter wardrobe. Even the brand’s leather sleeves/gloves of last year made a reappearance, yet slightly different.

What followed was a series of turtlenecks and enormous collars which came up to the models’ ears. Then a couple of printed asymmetrical dresses popped up, giving this collection it’s signature look.

And just days after Angelina Jolie’s slit dress and thus her sexy bare leg at the Oscars were all over the news Maison Martin Margiela showed the same kind of sexiness. Pleated skirts which were short left  and maxi on the right revealed the models’ amazing toned legs, wow. Matched with shiny, straight blouses they created the ultimate cool chic look.

 

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.

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.

 

 

 

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.

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