Maison Martin Margiela Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

Maison Martin Margiela opened with a series of ladylike looks that included skirts with a surprising new length, just around the lower calf. Very chic indeed, although we’re curious how they would portray on an average woman. They were followed by high waisted pants mixed with long, strapless A-line tops. Together with perfectly tailored short sleeved jackets those pants created an elegant modern suit (yet becoming less elegant as Ruby Aldridge wore hers twisted and tied around her upper body).
Two back revealing jumpsuits were added and the focus on sexy stayed at the back for a few more looks. Like a green leather high slit skirt and top or a strapless burgundy dress creation.
The finale of enormous floor length dresses included a jersey T-dress, which could easily have fitted three models in it. But that XXL feeling is what gave the collection it’s twisted elegance. Add a few pairs of those signature gloves and a selection of pretty chic nose rings and you get an idea why Margiela is so unlike any other brand and keeps on doing so well.

Christian Dior Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

Raf Simons surprised the audience with a feminine and refined collection. Almost like a literal clean slate, the show opened with a series of crisp black suits and neck-scarves, before descending into jacket dresses and mini ballgowns.  Styles which Raf Simons described as both “feminine” and “complex” in equal measure. The finale consisted of couture-worthy silhouettes with voluminous printed skirts and skintight black tops. It was beautiful, strange and unusual – so precise but so varied.

Nina Ricci Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

Peter Copping seemed to have turned a new page at Nina Ricci. He added some edge to the normally so soft and feminine label, or, in his own words, brought a bit of London to Paris.

He opened the show with a full black look; a jacket and a skirt underneath which Manon Leloup wore a mesh top and a harness detail. A touch of bondage, yet still chic enough to fit the label’s heritage.

What followed were slightly undefined layered dress with ruffles and fringes in pink, black, navy and a few pastel shades. They had a certain twenties feeling to them, although the models’ waists were too accentuated for that.

Sweet skirt suits and polka dot dresses in shiny gray and nude were funked up by multiple chunky chain necklaces. A sheer polka dot top worn with a playful hairy skirt looked daring.

It seems Copping took the right amount of risk as he made sure he kept everyone’s attention throughout the show, without completely shocking the fashion crowd.

 

First View Paris Womenswear SS2013: the New Sexy

Our first spot on Paris hints at a classical and mature approach towards fashion. Powerful silhouettes in pure black and white. Well known modernist geometry peppered with a swift whiff of sex. Smooth sensual and pure looks that reveal subtle glimpses of skin. All executed with tailored precision.

Expanding on traditional classical beauty and clearly inspired by historical archives but sprayed with modern gloss. Hard edge geometrics and sharp shoulders are softened with curved décolletées, sculptured volants and roomy pleated pants.  Outfits suggest unashamed sex and sensual looseness but are staged with well-calculated sophistication and couture aspiration.

Balenciaga shows icons of sensuality and femininity in lingerie and swimsuit inspired tops matched with high waisted flat pleat pants. Balmain shows hard edge masculinity in broad shouldered power suits covering simple and sexy bandeaus. Carven is truly sculpting in curved sensual tailoring. Where Balenciaga was clearly intrigued by the Antique when shaping this revealing dress with meandering sculpted volants.

Who would ever have thought that the image of the ‘bare midriff’ could be raised up to classical standards?

Stylespot is a colleboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

 

Rick Owens Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

Rick Owens was in an angelic mood looking at the collection and the clouds that came tumbling down from the catwalk entrance.
The models came in dresses of puffed-out proportions to match those of the clouds behind them – strapless and semi-transparent inflated dresses in soft grey or apricot shades. There were capes that followed in the same vein and further dresses that splayed out from off the shoulder. It was more feminine and light and pretty than we have seen from Rick Owens before.

Lanvin Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

Having celebrated his tenth anniversary last season it was time for a new start for Alber Elbaz. He came up with a collection that was about purity and precision, yet not about control and minimalism, so he stated.

Elbaz worked on “deconstructed classicism.” He used smoking references and mixed them up with Japanese influences like kimono details and obi belts. He added a sexy dose of asymmetry, which was about the sexiest on a black bathing suit, matched with a pair of pants.

Constructed futuristic party looks full of metallic details followed. Though super modern, all the black & white made the designs appear classic. Next to his signature draping Elbaz used quite a bit of folding and of course his popular one shoulder dresses made their appearance.

A finale of several duo colored satin dresses was a cheerful closing to an all black and white show, that perhaps breathe classicism yet definitely was the beginning of something new.

Balmain Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

Inspired by Cuba Olivier Rousteing used quite some Latin influences for his spring collection. Harlequin motifs represented it’s black and white tile floors and beautifully woven raffia dresses resembled Cuban wicker chairs. He used these influences and gave the collection as a whole a early nineties twist. Power dressing. Boxy jackets and heavily shouldered dresses made the tiny framed models indeed look powerful, yet sometimes the fit seemed a bit off.

In between the handcrafted embroidered looks a few simpler denim and leather looks popped up too. They didn’t scream as loud as some of the power designs, yet looked cool enough to be heard. With harlequin motifs, stripes, strong shoulders and some very skilled craftsman Rousteing had all the right ingredients for a success collection. Yet if he had held back just a little, the impact would probably have been bigger.

Balenciaga Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

Skin was the big news at Balenciaga. Designer Nicolas Ghesquière told the press before the show that its was “the most sensual collection I’ve ever done”. It was all about  stiff ruffles, movement, a-symmetric cut and technical fabrics, dense embroideries that looked like tweeds,  lace fused to molded synthetics, and T-shirt knits dipped in glue for stiffness.
Ghesquière set the tone with the first model’s midriff-baring molded bra and high-waisted pants. And from there came out swinging, slitting long black skirts almost to the hipbone and edging them with deep ruffles.  Asymmetric skirts pushed the leg-theme further, and even the pantsuits were paired with  bra tops.

Ann Demeulemeester Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

Please enjoy the pictures for now. Our review will follow shortly.

Gareth Pugh Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

Gareth Pugh held strictly to his linear graphic style for his ss2013 collection, but this time it seemed softer, even more romantic than before. He even threw in scarlet red to change his palet of black, white and gray. Pugh was inspired by cockfighting, which explained the bloodred, the long hems and extended train-like sleeves. Plus the bloodred make-up. He also put in some flamenco-vibe and Japanese details.

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